Advantages of Personality Models: Johari Window, MBTI, Transactional Analysis and DISC Analysis

This essay analyzes the advantages of different personality models such as Johari Window, MBTI, Transactional Analysis and DISC Analysis. It emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and self-development. The essay discusses the conflicts experienced in life and overall personality. The models have helped the author in improving communication skills, becoming self-aware, emphasizing the importance of knowledge and experience, and becoming effective leaders.

Working with Diversity and Conflict
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:

Introduction
The aim of this essay is to analyze the advantages of different personality models. Before
embarking my course, my perspective around personality was rudimentary in comparison with
after completion of the course. During my in-depth research and studies, I found that behaviour
is affected by outside forces. There are positive and negative reinforcements that affect
behaviour (Hutteman et al. 2014). Reflection is a critical component so that we as individuals are
aware of the strategies that can be used for self-development and improvement. This essay
discusses the conflicts I have experienced in my life and in my overall personality. The essay
analyzes Johari window, Myers-Briggs Test Indicator (MBTI), transactional analysis and
Dominance, Influence, Conscientious and Steady (DISC) models. Knowing self-status shall help
my surrounding ones such as family, friends or colleagues to serve customers effectively. When
you understand a person's natural preferences, it is easier to fit her with a job she'll like and will
be good at. This helps improve performance and engagement (Bipp and Demerouti 2015).
Johari Window
The Johari window helps people in better understanding of relationship with others. It has
assisted me in improving personal development and developing self-awareness. As
communication is vital to understanding and transmitting information, it needs to be effective.
When I took the Johari window test, I discovered my public self, blind spot, façade and unknown
area (Tran 2018).
I came to understanding that my unknown areas are introversion and nervousness. With
self-awareness, I knew my areas where I excel and lack in. With the help of my family and team
members, I was able to overcome my deficiencies with stronger points (Specht et al. 2014). For

example, I would often get the position of a ‘leader’ in my group. A leader requires a strong
personality with excellent communication skills and trust among other group members. I am a
person who is not able to build trust easily among people. With the help of Johari Window
analysis, I worked on my communication skills. I practiced delivering speech and I overcame my
stumbling issue. In the next stage, I generated feedback from my fellows so that they could
review my speech delivering skills. Hence, based on the review I dealt with my communication
conflict.
I used Johari window as a tool for my personal as well as professional development.
Johari window uses feedback that made me accept a great deal about myself and increasing
effectiveness as an individual. Johari window has been useful to me as there was self-disclosure
and self-discovery that helped in better understanding. With my lack in communication skills,
the feedback of team members helped me in presenting my views in a better manner without
hesitation (Saxena 2015).
MBTI Analysis
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or MBTI is widely used for team building. After taking
the test my result for it was Introversion, Sensing, Feeling and Judging (ESFJ). I have come to an
understanding that introversion is something I have received from my parents. I am receptive to
change and new ideas. The MBTI model has made me realize that I have trouble separating
personal and interpersonal situations. For example, there was a situation where I was facing
criticism in my personal life. As I am quite humble and shy, I have a hard time expressing my
emotions. The MBTI model made me realize how I should work on my extraversion skills.
Improving as an extrovert can help portray my level of confidence (Hancock 2016).

The MBTI is helping me view the world from a different perspective. It has made me
greatly self-aware. From the test, I learned that I need to use the obtained facts and details for
calculating the most practical course of action. The MBTI model has made me emphasize the
importance of knowledge and experience. MBTI shall be beneficial in my future courses as I
shall be able to work on my overall personality. It shall be beneficial in my professional
development so that I can excel in my future endeavours. I have come to an understanding that I
need to make a practical and logical approach rather than always considering the feeling of
others.
For example, one of my friends asked me for a personal advice regarding his personality.
In the first stage as I was afraid to hurt his feelings, I intended to change the subject. I should
have been honest and practical and offer advice to my struggling friend. After studying the
MBTI model in my course, I gave him brutal yet honest advice and the changes he needed to
bring in his behaviour. Thus, MBTI model helped me in being spontaneous.
The MBTI model made me realize the importance of flexibility. For example, if I am
assigned a project, I proceed by making plans in a structured manner. In the first stage, I found it
difficult to incorporate it in my existing plan due to time management. The MBTI model taught
me the importance of keeping multiple options open and changing the track midway. Therefore, I
managed to incorporate changes in the project within the given time-frame (Clinton 2018).
Transactional Analysis
As propounded by Dr Eric Berne, transactional analysis is a great model to understand
self-behaviour and improve communication. In my opinion, transactional analysis can write their
own life-plan and change their inappropriate behaviours of the past. The psychologist states the

three stages or ego states- the parent, adult and child. This model has proven beneficial for me
and improved my communication standards on a regular basis. For example, I have noticed that
sometimes I say things like my parents unconsciously. This is because we have lived with them
for so long that leads us to be nurturing or critical. Not just home, I have observed the child ego
state at my workplace. For example, there have been situations when my boss has called me into
the office and my stomach went churning thinking what I did wrong. In the terms of
psychotherapy, this situation is termed as self-awareness (Berne 2016).
Another example comes from my personal incident where my aunt gave me the
permission to have more fun and be joyous that I did not get as a child. In the first stage, I
channel my thoughts wondering what my parents would say about it. But now, I have come to
understanding that I must not stress myself thinking what my parents would think about it.
Instead, I try to relax myself and take some time out. The TA model has lessened my over
thinking where I used to beat myself up. Gradually, I started taking care of myself by being self-
aware and decisive. I have come to an understanding that psychotherapy involves significant
work to reach the adult state while challenging child or parent ego state ideas. Currently, I am
working on a few of my child-like ego characteristics to reach the adult state (Hargaden and Sills
2014).
DISC Analysis
The Dominance, Influence, Conscientious and Steady (DISC) profile is a judgmental tool
for assessing people’s differences. I completed a series of questions to produce a detailed report
about my behaviour and personality. DISC profile helped me in increasing my self-knowledge
thereby becoming effective leaders. For example, I encountered performance based conflict at

my previous workplace. My work performance did not meet the expectations of my employer
regarding meeting deadlines. Further, I applied the DISC model of conflict management for
better communication between me and my employer. Therefore, I reflected on what went wrong
during my tenure of work rather than who was wrong. The DISC model helped me understand
that it is useless to blame anybody else. The model taught me a lesson for setting a timeframe
within which I had to complete my work. In the next stage, I drew up learning points from the
above mentioned conflict situation and shared the conclusion with my employer. I saw
improvement in myself as I stopped missing work deadlines (Davenport 2018).
The DISC model proved the most useful among all conflict management models as I
intend to become a manager in future. My job shall be to orchestrate and get people’s work done.
I wish to diminish the conflict between employers and employees. Instead of spending all day on
“personality conflicts,” they’ll be able to navigate individual differences and coach employees to
communicate more effectively (McAdams 2015). I need to understand that nobody likes to
involve in conflicts in a group. The DISC model has made me realize that language and
managing behaviour can make team cohesion successful. Too often leaders are told what
leadership is supposed to be or provided grandiose pictures of the ultimate leader, but they aren’t
provided with tangible, actionable, personalized feedback and strategies for how to improve as a
leader (Anderson 2015).
Conclusively, I need to improve on several traits so that there is greater positivity and
acceptance around me. This reflection paper has helped me refer to my performance criteria and
monitor learning. I have recognized improvement in several areas that I shall continue to work in
accordance with the models such as Johari window, Myers-Briggs Test Indicator (MBTI),
transactional analysis and Dominance, Influence, Conscientious and Steady (DISC). I have set

achievement goals for myself where I can evaluate the merits and shortcomings in my overall
behaviour and personality. I am working on a few of my child-like ego characteristics to reach
the adult state. The MBTI model made me realize how I should work on my extraversion skills.
The DISC model helped me understand that it is useless to blame anybody else. The model
taught me a lesson for setting a timeframe within which I had to complete my work.
References
Anderson, A., 2015. Team-building exercises and simulation. Manual of Simulation in
Healthcare, p.208.
Berne, E., 2016. Transactional analysis in psychotherapy: A systematic individual and social
psychiatry. Pickle Partners Publishing.
Bipp, T. and Demerouti, E., 2015. Which employees craft their jobs and how? Basic dimensions
of personality and employees' job crafting behaviour. Journal of Occupational and
Organizational Psychology, 88(4), pp.631-655.
Clinton, R., 2018. The making of a leader: Recognizing the lessons and stages of leadership
development. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc..
Davenport, L., 2018. Home Sales Success and Personality Types: Is There a
Connection?. Journal of Real Estate Practice and Education, 21(1), pp.29-57.
Hancock, D., 2016. To test or not to test: Assessing personality traits. Practice
Management, 26(5), pp.23-25.
Hargaden, H. and Sills, C., 2014. Transactional analysis: A relational perspective. Routledge.

Hutteman, R., Hennecke, M., Orth, U., Reitz, A.K. and Specht, J., 2014. Developmental tasks as
a framework to study personality development in adulthood and old age. European Journal of
Personality, 28(3), pp.267-278.
McAdams, D.P., 2015. The art and science of personality development. Guilford Publications.
Saxena, P., 2015. JOHARI WINDOW: An Effective Model for Improving Interpersonal
Communication and Managerial Effectiveness. SIT Journal of Management, 5(2), pp.134-146.
Specht, J., Bleidorn, W., Denissen, J.J., Hennecke, M., Hutteman, R., Kandler, C., Luhmann, M.,
Orth, U., Reitz, A.K. and Zimmermann, J., 2014. What drives adult personality development? A
comparison of theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence. European Journal of
Personality, 28(3), pp.216-230.
Tran, B., 2018. Communication: The Role of the Johari Window on Effective Leadership
Communication in Multinational Corporations. In Social Issues in the Workplace:
Breakthroughs in Research and Practice (pp. 135-160). IGI Global.

Appendix
Model MBTI
• In my understanding, the MBTI model is an assessment to measure the psychological
preferences as to how people perceive the world and make decisions. The model is
known to identify conflict triggers so that I can bring a change in my personality and
attitude.
• About myself, I learnt that I have Introversion, Sensing, Feeling and Judging (ISFJ)
personality.
• I intend to bring about change in my behaviour regarding striking a conversation like an
extrovert. Further, I must be more practical and logical than being sentimental at all
times.
Model DISC
• DiSC provides a framework in which communication and interpersonal relationships can
be personalized and individuated so that each person hears the message based on their
priorities and clearly understand how their strengths enable the accomplishment of the
vision.
• I focused on what went wrong during my tenure of work rather than who was wrong. The
DISC model helped me understand that it is useless to blame anybody else.

• I wish to diminish the conflict between employers and employees. My job shall be to
orchestrate and get people’s work done.
Model Johari Window
• In my understanding, Johari window helps in framing attitude and behaviour. There are
things that even we do not know about ourselves. Further, Johari window can help me
understand in a better way so that I can work on my behaviour and build better
relationships with others.
• Johari window made me characteristics about myself such as dependable, observant, self-
assertive, reflective, introvert and accepting.
• Mainly, I would like to improve my communication skills. Being an introvert, I do not
know how to present my views to others in a convincing manner.
Transactional Analysis
• Transactional analysis helps in enabling a person to talk in a mature manner so that
communication problems and conflicts can be minimized.
• My language may enable calmness and perhaps resolution when I keep my ego low and
be approachable to others. I shall appear caring and concerned towards others and not
acting aggressive.
• I learned that I have both child-like and parent-like ego. I am caring and concerned but I
might react aggressively towards others.

• I have a tendency to over-think situations rather than enjoying the present. I intend to deal
with my present situation in a healthy manner not influenced by my past.
General Plan For Development Of Self In Conflict Situation
 I have created a development plan for myself. I need to stop blaming for the pas actions
and accept my responsibilities.
 I shall manage my emotions and ego in a better way. Anger and anxiety can affect
judgment. I shall try to control my anger and anxiety than let it control me.
 I shall deal with the consequences and not the intentions. You may think you know why
someone did something you didn’t like, but you may be wrong, so don’t attribute
motives.
 The last stage is repeat, rephrase and reflect in which I shall be patient and monitor my
activities.