An iceberg is a great metaphor for many different scenarios.
If you look at an iceberg, only part of it is visible above the waterline.
A larger portion is not visible to the eye.
In our companies and teams, this is often the case too! There are the things we understand and are aware of, but there are more we may not understand or are aware of.
There are the known/knowns. The things we are aware of and understand, like the tasks to complete something we’ve done before.
There are also the known/unknowns. The things we are aware of but don’t yet understand them, like issues reported but not yet investigated.
Then there are also unknown/knowns. The things we understand that exist but aren’t aware of, like resistance to something because of the lack of trust in the people leading a change.
Finally, there are unknown/ unknowns. The things we don’t understand and aren’t aware of, like a new technology that could totally reinvent our business.
Using an iceberg to describe these 4 scenarios can be very effective.
Only the known/ knowns are above the water surface snd visible. The other three are at different layers below the surface and likely not visible.
Talking about each group helps raise the awareness of what a team understands and what they are aware of.
Tuesday Toolbox: How can an iceberg can help your business?
