The power of self-reflection as a leader: the Johari window approach

The power of self-reflection as a leader: the Johari window approach

One key to successful leadership is self-awareness. A good leader not only manages others, but also regularly analyses his or her own behaviour, decisions and reactions. Self-reflection plays a key role in this: it helps us understand how we influence others and in what areas we can improve. In this paper, we discuss the leadership role of self-reflection and show how the Johari Window model can help.

What is self-reflection and why is it important as a leader?

Self-reflection is the conscious examination of our own thoughts, feelings and behaviour. As a leader, this is particularly important because the performance of a team or organisation depends largely on our ability to understand our own strengths and weaknesses. Self-reflection gives us the opportunity to:

• Identify the impact we have on others.
• We recognise the patterns we follow in our decision-making.
• Improve our emotional intelligence.
• Be more responsive to challenges and conflicts.