On the last podcast, I talked about the Johari Window and how companies can get things out in the open to improve results. This team building tool is a self-disclosure/feedback/self awareness builder. In any group or organisation, self awareness and effectiveness happen when we get things out in the open. The more knowledge we have about each other, the better we relate. The better we relate internally, the more we can focus on external objectives that give our customers more for their money. We can spend less time on clarifying and explaining miscommunication. We can stop assuming the worst about each other. We can have better planning and alignment so the right hand knows what the left hand is doing. People experience all kinds of problems when they try to work together–that is a constant. Yet, once we know each other and accept each other, we can begin to identify who is good at what, who is not good at what, who is the best person for a task, and start focusing on why we are together in a group in the first place.
What holds us back and creates friction among groups, teams, companies, and organisations of all kinds are blind spots and what we hide.
Blind spots:
Blind spots are what others know about us that we are not aware of. Have you ever walked around with your zipper open or had toilet paper stuck to the bottom of your shoe? Others saw it, but you did not until someone pointed it out to you. We all have many blind spots, or gaps in our self awareness. One of the greatest blind spots is not understanding how others truly see us.
People may see us as always late, great at analysis, but horrible at time management. How would you be aware of what others know about you, but you are unaware of? A CEO might be a good manager, but not aware that his company thinks he is an ineffective leader. A visionary leader may be great at generating ideas, but not aware that people see her as unable to ever make a decision. We only become aware of our blind spots when we invite others to give us feedback to help us improve.
This is very difficult for many people to do because insecurity, fear, denial, defensiveness, and other emotional responses to input from others may signal that we are not ready for others to help us become more aware of our blind spots.
I remember working with a person who had no idea that people viewed them as unreliable, flaky, and a troublemaker. When a business colleague and a consultant tried to address this with her out of concern, she became angry, embittered, and ended up quitting. Blind spots have held many people back from career advancement, and are a real problem in companies. If we can develop our group dynamics to increase trust and communication, and build an environment of authentic commitment and concern to help each other grow, a company can truly begin to make progress.
Hiding:
Since Adam and Eve hid from God in the Garden of Eden, people have been hiding things from other people. What kinds of things do people at work withhold and hide from others? Mistakes. Weaknesses. The need for help. Knowledge they have and do not want others to have. Information. Personal struggles.
On a larger level, businesses often choose to restrict financial information to a select few such as the CEO, CFO, and Controller. If the news is bad, they will not share it with the company because they think if people find out they will go looking for other jobs. Is that true? It all depends on what kind of company culture you have built.
How Theory X and Y Management Intersects With Building a Culture of Openness
McGregor’s Theory X and Y (covered in depth in another podcast and blog) demonstrates that companies are either X/Authoritarian or Y/Collaborative in their management style and techniques. Douglas McGregor, an American social psychologist studied the human side of enterprise as an academic researcher.
Theory X: Less Open, More Blind Spots and Hiding
His research demonstrates that if you believe that your team members dislike their work and have little motivation, then you’ll likely use an authoritarian style of management. This approach is very “hands-on” and usually involves micromanaging people’s work to ensure that it gets done properly. McGregor called this Theory X.
Theory Y: More Open, Less Blind Spots and Hiding
On the other hand, Theory Y culture has a view of human behaviour that believes people respond positively to being trusted and working in a participative, collaborative atmosphere of joint decision-making. When owners and managers build a collaboration culture, team members respond with self-motivation, initiative, engagement, taking ownership and responsibility, improved results, and solving problems creatively with innovation. This does not mean there is not a hierarchy of authority, accountability, and responsibility–there is. In contrast to Theory X, the way the work is done includes everyone in how we will achieve our objectives and key results within a “flatter,” more decentralised workflow.
Getting Things Out in The Open
The approach that you take to your view of people and how to get the results that your company exists to achieve will have a significant impact on your ability to motivate your team members. If you hide knowledge and information, so will your employees. If you lead by example and are open to feedback like 360 assessments and culture surveys, communication about your personal blind spots, and what others see about the company, so will those who follow your lead. Soon, the whole environment of your organisation will turn its focus on continuous improvement and uniting to be better. The more we get past the fear of what others might think or do when we get things out in the open, the more our company will evolve in its effectiveness and results.
I have had some owners, executives, and managers object when I encourage developing Y cultures. “Not all human beings can be trusted to work without supervision” is a valid statement. While true, my response is, “They are not a fit for your company if that is the case. They will need to be replaced by people who share your values.” I highly encourage all of you reading this blog to think about the implications of the Johari Window.
If the people in your organisation cannot build an open environment built on good communication, feedback, and trust, your company will be slower, less effective, and spend more time and money on internal politics and turf wars than growing value for your customers. When customer delight grows, so do sales, profits, market share, and brand value. It all starts with deciding what kind of company your are building–open or closed. It is up to you. Decide now, and live with the decision you make.
The worst situation you can be in is to not know what you do not know. You might not have known about how the Johari Window works, or Theory X and Y, but now you do. I hope now that this knowledge is open to you, it will be used to build a better version of you and your workplace.