Johari Window, MBTI and Big Five – Tools for Leadership Self-Understanding
Great leaders understand not only the people they lead—but themselves. Personality models and frameworks offer structured ways to reflect on your preferences, strengths, blind spots, and how others perceive you. In this lesson, we’ll explore three influential tools that support self-awareness, team understanding, and leadership growth:
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The Johari Window
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The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
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The Big Five Personality Traits
1. The Johari Window: Increasing Self-Awareness and Openness
Developed by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham, the Johari Window is a simple but powerful model to explore how much of yourself is known—both to you and to others.
The Four Quadrants
| Quadrant | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Open Area | Known to self and others | Skills, habits, personality traits you and others agree on |
| Blind Spot | Unknown to self, known to others | Unconscious behaviors, tone, or biases you’re unaware of |
| Hidden Area | Known to self, unknown to others | Private experiences, insecurities, or values |
| Unknown Area | Unknown to both self and others | Untapped potential, repressed memories, or new strengths |
Leadership Application
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Increase the Open Area: Share more honestly (reduce Hidden) and seek feedback (reduce Blind Spots)
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Leads to: Better trust, clearer communication, fewer misunderstandings
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” – Ken Blanchard
2. MBTI – The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
The MBTI is a widely used personality framework based on Carl Jung’s psychological types. It categorizes individuals into 16 types based on four dichotomies:
| Preference | Dichotomy | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| E / I | Extraversion vs Introversion | How you gain energy—from people (E) or solitude (I) |
| S / N | Sensing vs Intuition | How you take in information—realistic/factual (S) or abstract/possibilities (N) |
| T / F | Thinking vs Feeling | How you make decisions—logic-based (T) or values/empathy-based (F) |
| J / P | Judging vs Perceiving | How you approach structure—organized (J) or flexible/spontaneous (P) |
Examples:
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ISTJ: Practical, reliable, structured
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ENFP: Energetic, imaginative, people-focused
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INTJ: Strategic, independent, visionary
Leadership Application
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Understand your natural preferences and potential blind spots
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Adapt your communication style to different team personalities
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Avoid overgeneralizing—MBTI isn’t about limits, it’s about insight
3. The Big Five Personality Traits (OCEAN Model)
The Big Five is a research-backed, widely respected personality model used in psychology. Unlike MBTI, which types people, the Big Five uses a spectrum approach, recognizing people fall along a continuum in each trait:
| Trait | Description |
|---|---|
| Openness | Imagination, curiosity, openness to new experiences |
| Conscientiousness | Organization, responsibility, dependability |
| Extraversion | Sociability, assertiveness, energy |
| Agreeableness | Compassion, cooperation, kindness |
| Neuroticism | Emotional sensitivity, mood swings, anxiety levels |
(High neuroticism = more emotionally reactive; low = more emotionally stable.)
Leadership Application
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High conscientiousness and emotional stability are strongly linked to effective leadership
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Understanding where you and others fall on these traits can help you manage:
- Delegation
- Team fit
- Stress responses
- Communication preferences
Why These Tools Matter for Leaders
These models aren’t about labeling people—they’re about increasing emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and empathy. Here’s how they support leadership:
| Benefit | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Self-awareness | Know your strengths, style, and how others perceive you |
| Team effectiveness | Build complementary teams, understand conflict sources |
| Feedback culture | Reduce blind spots and hidden behaviors |
| Communication | Tailor your message to different personalities |
| Adaptability | Develop flexibility in how you lead diverse individuals |
“When you understand yourself better, you can lead others better.”
Activity: Self-Discovery Exercise
1. Complete one or more of the following:
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MBTI Test (e.g., 16Personalities.com)
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Big Five Inventory (e.g., Truity.com or Psychology Today)
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Johari Window Feedback Exercise (ask trusted peers to describe you using descriptive adjectives)
2. Reflect on:
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What surprised you?
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What strengths can you lean into?
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What blind spots or growth areas were revealed?
Reflection Questions
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How do I think others experience my leadership style?
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Which parts of my personality help me most as a leader?
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Where could my personality become a liability if I’m not aware?
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How open am I to feedback—and how often do I seek it?
Final Thought
Tools like the Johari Window, MBTI, and Big Five don’t give you all the answers—but they open the door to greater self-awareness, adaptability, and personal growth. As a leader, understanding yourself is the first step to understanding and empowering others.
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.” – Lao Tzu