This simple feedback exercise for personal reflection or training, from Claudine McClean of Predaptive, helps you get a new perspective on how you see yourself and others see you.

This is a simple feedback idea you can try with people who know enough about you to have a point of view.

It's based on the Johari Window developed by Jo Luft and Harry Ingram.

The exercise works on the very straightforward premise that there are perceptions you have about yourself that may be different to the perceptions others have about you.

Look at the list of words below:

Friendly, negative, trusting, quiet, intense, helpful, distant, unapproachable, arrogant, patient, extrovert, loud, anxious, calm, lively, impulsive, flexible, authoritative, analytical, funny, serious, enthusiastic, demanding, shy, approachable, pompous, reliable, supportive, diligent, bossy, positive, trusted, passive, superficial, stubborn, open, reflective, dynamic, relaxed.

You’re each allowed one additional word that isn’t on the list if required.

Pick 10 words that you think best sum you up. Ask somebody else who knows you to do the same.

Now for the results:
Words you both picked are in your open arena.
Words you picked but they didn’t are in your private space (you might like to think how you could make this quality more obvious).
Words your colleague picked and you didn’t are in your blind spot. (These you might like to think about where that perception comes from.)

It's a simple exercise that can really stimulate worthwhile feedback and reflection on how you perceive yourself and how you are perceived by others.