he importance of learning more about ourselves is critical to our success in the communication. It is also critical to reaching our goals, becoming independent, and building a bridge for the future. We need to become more open, confident, and comfortable with who we are. We need to build our self-esteem because we have a lot to give to the world and our families. Everyone is not out to get us, and in fact they may have good feedback for us if we are open to it.
Using a blank piece of printer paper, draw the Johari Window large enough that you can write in each quadrant (use the entire paper). Now spend a few moments considering each quadrant and determine the quadrant that you believe you operate from most often, why you do so, and how it effects your communication, and life in general.
Without disclosing too much personal information, share your thoughts on the matter in the discussion board as follows:
- In no less than 150 words, create an initial post that describes your Johari Window, how you operate within your self-perceived dominant quadrant, and the effects that this has on your communication.
- After your initial post, respond to at least three of your classmates in a meaningful way (see rubric).
Before you post, be sure you read the rubric so you know how your instructor will evaluate your work.
This is an sample.
The five traits that best describe me are: creative, leader, kind, family-oriented, religious.
My Johari Window would topple over on the left side if it was an actual cube weighted with each attribute. Both boxes for my open self and hidden self contain long lists of traits about me. My dominant quadrant twenty years ago would have been the open self but today it is the hidden self. I mainly operate from the hidden self quadrant of my Johari’s Window because I have learned over the years not to trust people with my entire self. I dole out small portions intentionally to keep people at a distance. I think of it as a coping mechanism because I have experienced too much hurt from letting people into my world. By operating from my hidden window, my communication has become more calculated with friends, family and colleagues because people will take information that you share with them and use it against you. I know that I have become cynical in my 40s but I am fine with who I am. Instead of crying when I am hurt or shouting when I am angry, I try not to have any public reaction and instead wait to share my true emotions with my husband. This is always done behind closed doors in my home, where I feel safe. The person that I show to others as my open self is the real me but in a diluted form. In that window I listed that others see me as funny, smart, a great mom, kind, a leader and a great cook. These are the attributes that I feel comfortable showing. Some of the attributes in my hidden self box are depressed, afraid of being alone, anxiety about my son’s health, and other facts that I won’t share in this forum. I believe that the way that I approach communication still allows people to get to know me, on the surface that is…