How Do You View Others?
Theories of organizational development categorized beliefs about people’s motivation as Theory X, Y and Z (McGregor, 1960; Ouchi, 1980). As your thinking shapes your behavior and interactions, these beliefs can cause others to feel empowered or marginalized. Early education leaders are cognizant of their beliefs about the motivations of others insofar as they can engage and motivate others or create unnecessary barriers and lost opportunities.
How Do You View Yourself as a Leader? How Do Others View You?
An early education leader’s self-perception determines how she thinks, feels and acts, which also influences the perceptions of others and their interactions. Sometimes there is agreement on these perceptions, other times not. Social psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham (1995) developed a useful technique called the Johari Window to help people better understand themselves and their relationships with others. Simply, there are aspects we know or don’t know about ourselves, and there are things others may or may not know as well. The Johari Window plots these similarities and differences in a matrix to reveal what is considered to be differences in a person’s public/open self, hidden/private self, blind self, and unknown/unconscious self. This reflective process can serve as an important tool for early education professionals to improve their practice and strengthen relationships, often in partnership with a coach or mentor.
The Johari Window may also be applied to organizational relationships both inside and outside of one’s agency.
Resources
- The X, Y, and Z of Management Theory
- Comparison Chart
- Most Effective Leadership, Management Styles, and Approaches
- Johari Window Model (video)
- JOHARI Window Workbook
- The Great Pretender (Squires)
Activity
- The “X – Y” Theory Questionnaire
- Interactive Johari Window
- Johari Window Exercise
