Came across the Johari window model last week, which can be really useful to find out your blind spots.

The Johari window is a technique which helps you to find out the difference between what other people think you are and what you think of yourself.

The exercise works like this:

Both the subject as the subject’s peers take a list of 57 adjectives and select the ones they feel apply to them self or the subject. After this is done, the selection is evaluated by putting each of them in one of the four categories:

• The items selected by both, form items in a group called “open”, because they represent things both parties are aware of.
• The items selected only by the subject are collected in a group called “hidden”. This might be something you think is true about yourself, but you haven’t made known or is actually something others see differently.
• The items selected just by your peers, are called “blind”. This is a really interesting group of items which you might not be aware of.
• The remaining items are not chosen by both you and your peers. That doesn’t mean you don’t have them, they might be undetected or ignored at this point in time.

A really interesting exercise to learn more about yourself and more about the people you work with.