Most clients engage with me by asking how to get organized. That’s an important piece, but not the sum of all parts.
It’s equally important to think about what your habits and environments say about you to other people.
What’s your reputation? Credible? Reliable? Late? Fun? Overbearing? Disorganized? Over organized? (Yes, that’s a thing.)
How do you know?
We assume people regard us in the same way we do about ourselves. That’s probably true, for the most part.
Consider the Johari Window below that shows insights about you that you might not have thought about, broken down into arena, possibility, façade, and potential.
By continuing to be in a relationship with you, your friends support your own positive view of yourself. Hopefully, your family enjoys you as much as your friends do. And if you’re still employed, and your reviews are pretty good, you feel accepted and welcome there, too. That’s the arena, according to the creators of the Johari concept.
What you keep private is your façade. We all hold some opinions and preferences private to get along better with others.
And then there are two areas that you and your circle may not agree on: first, those traits and habits in your blind spot, the red box above, which I call possibilities because they represent avenues for growth, choices, and change. The second is the lower right box that contains areas that are unknown to you and everyone else. I’ve named it potential because whatever is in this box will probably come to light at some point in your life, moving into one of the other boxes.
The quadrant labeled blind spot is analogous to when your doctor knows things about your health or potential risks that they haven’t told you about yet. They probably will because that’s their role. Your friends, family, and coworkers don’t have the same obligation and perhaps won’t volunteer to tell you about how you appear to them. Even if you ask, they may be reluctant to share negatives.
Why is exploring the blind spot a benefit to you? Because without it you won’t grow.
Another way to learn about what’s in your blind spot is to use self-completed online assessments:
VIA Strengths finder helps you highlight your strengths.
Mastery Consulting offers a free checklist that helps you think about your quality of life in general and helps you plan and track changes.
Mastery also offers access to the immensely valuable DISC assessment. It includes a phone session to help you understand not only how you operate both casually and under stress but how others might perceive your communication and interaction styles. It provides a strong foundation that you can refer to for years. View a sample report and schedule yours today.
The more you know about yourself and your reputation, the more you can make positive changes. That’s Mastery.
I don't send many and they're full of insights to help you get a handle on the stuff in your life: time, space, info, relationships, communication, finances--all the stuff you need to do well for a good life.
Get a free self assessment as my thanks.