| Responses | Date | Author |
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thanks again Clare, your extra suggestion is helpful and also thanks Averil, I think I can combine both your suggestions. Thank you so much :-) |
| 28/03/2015 | Jennifer |
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Jennifer, this works well for me when I am doing leadership training with a group that know each other. They have a copy of the johari window and lots of post its . I explain the model using examples usually about myself. The exercise is asking them first to write something(s) about themselves others may not know on their table; I then ask them to write some feedback post its for each other. They then on their table share stickers with each other - they can stick them either on the open section, blind spot, open area depending on how they respond to the feedback (known or unknown feedback about themselves) . They sometimes also add some thoughts in the unknown box as a result. I then leave them a couple of minutes reflection time . We then discuss the exercise - have you learnt something about yourself or others you didn't know through this disclosure exercise? what is needed for disclosure ? what is needed for a more open and honest culture etc ? I find it works very well and can be a very light level - where they discuss things about themselves others don't know through to quite deep discussions if the group is ready for that. It can provoke a very interesting discussion about the company culture and feedback. I have used this in environments where feedback is not usual to provoke discussion about openness. I have also had a managers take the activity away and use it with small teams themselves . |
| 27/03/2015 | Previous |
Hi again Jennifer
Sorry my suggestion wasn't quite what you were looking for. Having read your post again could you dig a bit deeper with your client about what they are hoping the session will achieve and why they particularly want you to use Johari? Out of that conversation you may suggest another tool that you are more confident about using or you may see a way in which the Window applies to the clients' situation that you hadn't previously noticed. With middle managers you may need them to acknowledge the value of self-awareness as a leadership issue before introducing Johari. You could ask them to think about some of the people they relate to at work, especially those immediately above and below them in the hierarchy and consider how the Johari Window applies in the various cases. You may empower them to make changes if they can see the value but it may be enough to offer it as a way in to discussing 'the blame culture'. An interesting discussion may follow if you focus on their personal 'blind spots' and the organisation's 'blind spots'. You could ask them to consider 'what are you personally not seeing' and 'what might the whole of middle management (or the whole organisation)' not be seeing? Blame cultures usually involve collective denial of certain practices. As the saying goes, 'blind Freddy can see xxx' but no-one officially acknowledges it. |
| 26/03/2015 | Previous |
thanks Clare, I certainly could do that, however as a theory/model I haven't to date found it particularly useful. My thinking is to introduce the model with some form of experiential exercise to demonstrate that it could be useful, and an example of how they could use it, rather than here's the theory and over to you guys to decide what you think. I'm only using it because I've been asked to and so hence on the search to find an experiential type activity to go with it.
thanks for taking the time to reply though. |
| 25/03/2015 | Jennifer |
Dear Jennifer,
I think you need to offer it to them in a spirit of self-awareness and choice. Present the model and let them - in pairs or small groups - discuss its relevance, its power and its limits. You are not responsible for how they use it, only for explaining its origins, teling them about its application in other contexts and suggesting what might be possible.
Clare Phillips |
| 25/03/2015 | Previous |
Hi Jennifer,
There are some old posts on Trainers' Talk that may be of interest you about Johari. Simply type johari into the search and then select the Trainers' Talk Results tab and you'll be able to see them. I hope this helps, Zoe |
| 25/03/2015 | Zoe |