The Iceberg of Ignorance
Last updated: September 05, 2024 Read in fullscreen view
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The iceberg of ignorance refers to the lack of understanding and awareness of problems within an organization. It is a concept from Sidney Yoshida's 1989 study, which reveals how problems are known and understood by different levels of an organization. On the front lines, staff know 100% of problems, while supervisors know 74%, middle management knows 9%, and executives know only 4%. This gap between front-line and executive knowledge is due to two main dynamics: positivity bias in communications and the need for authentic organizational engagement.
Ignorance is bliss, as it negatively impacts the organization's resilience. Executives often make decisions based on limited data, making them more fragile. Systems thinking requires good data, cooperation, and sharing knowledge outside departments. Without authentic engagement, leaders may live with the illusion that they already know what they need to know to make good decisions and set the strategic focus of the organization.
Organizations need to build engagement mechanisms that enable them to withstand upheaval and continue operating if they are to become more resilient.
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| About the Author |
Dr. Kathy Allene |
President of Allen and Associates | Dr. Kathy Allen is the author of Leading from the Roots: Nature Inspired Leadership Lessons for Today’s World (2019) and President of Allen and Associates, a consulting firm that specializes in leadership, innovation, and organizational change. |
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