To read the first piece in this two-part series on sharing your wealth of wisdom, click here.
We all have blind spots
In the second window ‘Blind Spot’ this pane is what is apparent to others but not so obvious or admitted to ourselves … it’s the blind spot because this is unseen.
The best way to bring this one to life and shift your focus … and find your ‘aha’ moment is to seek feedback.
What you can do is either organise a time with an individual or ask your team to give you some input to help bring to light your blind spots, those hidden aspects of oneself that we are not conscious of.
This process is where we grow, evolve and thrive if we are open and ready to receive it.
Examples of Blind self;
- Friendly
- Forgiving
- Clam
- Trustworthy
- Loving
We need to look at the hidden and the unspoken
In the third window ‘Hidden’ this pane is what we know about ourselves but do not reveal to others. Also known as the private self, this is where all of your secrets, fears and things other people don’t know about us.
Examples of hidden self;
- Fear of judgment
- Fear of success
- Lack of self-love
- Lack of self-worth
- Second-guessing
To expand a little in this space is calling on us to be a little vulnerable because some of the things that can sit in this window are things like second-guessing, inner critic and what one truly thinks about themselves.
We keep it hidden in the fear that others will judge, be ridiculed or seen as an imposter.
In reality, the best thing to do in this window is to show you are human … be transparent about some of your fears. Open up about your lack of whatever that may be for you.
We all hold back on this one if others think we don’t have the strength, capability, competence or capacity to do our job or get the work done!
Do something today that your future self will thank you for
In the fourth window ‘Unknown’ is the pane that is not apparent to others and is not recognised by ourselves. Also known as your potential, hidden talents, untried qualities and future.
Examples of unknown self;
- Unsure of future
- Any change in circumstances
- A mystery of what can be
- Untapped talent
- To be discovered
Another way to bring this model to life is to pick some adjectives from the below table and put them in the appropriate window, where you think they fit and be as honest as you can for yourself!
Then on a separate list, you can ask an individual or ask your team members to pick an adjective that best describes you and ask them to put it in the appropriate window.
This my friend, is where your level of self-awareness or lack thereof become very apparent … and be ready for some surprises.
You can be as creative as you want to be … some leaders create a massive poster on a wall with a box of adjectives to add to the windows as a way to have fun whilst receiving their feedback.
Some leaders have created worksheets and handed them out to their team members, peers and other leaders to give them feedback.
The list below is just some examples, and there are 100’s more traits that you can add to this exercise.
| Accepting | Critical | Flexible | Kind | Organised | Relaxed |
| Adaptable | Courageous | Friendly | Listener | Patient | Self-aware |
| Bold | Dependable | Giving | Logical | Persuasive | Shy |
| Brave | Demanding | Helpful | Modest | Powerful | Spontaneous |
| Calm | Empathetic | Impulsive | Motivator | Private | Trustworthy |
| Caring | Energetic | Influential | Nervous | Quiet | Warn |
| Confident | Extroverted | Independent | Open | Reflective | Witty |
Adjectives that just fit you
Another way of bringing this model to life is with just adjectives.
You can create your own or ask me and I can send you an extensive list of adjectives.
You can ask individuals to tick the ones that are most like you.
Then you can put all of the similar adjectives that you both picked in the ‘Open’ window because these traits you both identify and are easily attributed to you.
Now, adjectives that you identified about you but others didn’t, can go in the ‘Hidden’ window because these are not immediately obvious to other people, but you know about you.
Some of these traits can be our strengths too and yet we don’t want to boast or show off that we are good at something.
Why not brag and show them off!!
Adjectives that others identified about you where you had no idea, no inclination, and a complete surprise go in the ‘Blind Spot’ window.
This is why seeking feedback is ever so crucial in this space to increase our level of self-awareness.
Knowledge has a beginning but no end
And pretty much all of the adjectives can be written in the ‘Unknown’ window because these are traits you want to explore, investigate, and even pursue as a way to uncover your untapped potential.
When we tap into our unknown and not yet visible talent in this window, this can be the turning point in our life, career or relationships.
Your ‘Open’ window should be as large as possible to reflect your level of self-awareness and how you showcase yourself to others.
You can do this through contemplation, observation, feedback, self-discovery and self-reflection.
It is always better to ask than to assume anyone.
