The Iceberg of Ignorance
Last updated: September 05, 2024 Read in fullscreen view
Recommended for you
- 01 Aug 2024
The Standish Group report 83.9% of IT projects partially or completely fail 150/1772 - 13 Apr 2024 Lessons on Teamwork and Leadership from Chinese story book "Journey to the West" 41/949
- 02 Nov 2021 What is Terms of Reference (ToR)? 23/1466
- 01 May 2023 Understanding Business as Usual (BAU) and How to Transition 22/843
- 03 Apr 2022 Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) 12/1157
- 18 Dec 2023 The Cone of Uncertainty in Scrum & Requirement Definition 8/643
- 18 Oct 2021 Key Elements to Ramping Up a Large Team 7/1108
- 20 Jul 2022 Software Myths and Realities 4/797
- 07 Jul 2022 Managing Project Execution Terms 3/379
- 10 Apr 2024 The Parking Lot Method: Unlocking a Simple Secret to Supercharge Your Productivity 3/403
- 12 May 2024 The Pros and Cons of the Creator Economy in the Age of AI: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Gray Zone with the Gig Economy 3/231
- 26 Sep 2024 Successful Project Management Techniques You Need to Look Out For 2/368
- 05 Jun 2023 Fractional, Part-Time (virtual) or Interim CTO: Who Will Cover Your Business Needs? 2/109
- 02 May 2022 What Is RAID in Project Management? (With Pros and Cons) 2/734
- 24 Nov 2023 The project management paradox: Achieving MORE by doing LESS 2/193
- 14 Jun 2022 Example and Excel template of a RACI chart in Software Development 2/707
- 12 Aug 2022 What is End-to-end project management? 2/382
- 15 May 2022 20 Common Mistakes Made by New or Inexperienced Project Managers 2/247
- 22 May 2022 What are common mistakes that new or inexperienced managers make? 1/243
- 27 Jan 2020 Should a project manager push developers to work more hours due to mistakes of manager schedule setting? 1/412
- 07 Dec 2023 12 project management myths to avoid 1/167
- 01 Mar 2024 10 Project Management Myths 1/120
- 23 May 2024 Mastering AI: Sharpening the Axe in the Digital Age 1/182
- 02 Jun 2024 Reviving Ancient Wisdom: The Spiritual Side of Project Management /204
- 05 Oct 2021 Shiny Object Syndrome: Why Your Business Isn't "Going Digital" /303
- 15 Aug 2025 Quantum Technology: Global Challenges and Opportunities for Innovators /56
- 01 Aug 2022 Is planning "set it and forget it" or "set it and check it"? /264
- 30 Nov 2023 Project Managers, Focus on Outcomes — Not Deliverables /143
- 02 Nov 2022 Difference between Change Management and Project Management /216
- 23 Jun 2024 Best Practices for Managing Project Escalations /183
- 21 Jun 2024 Dead Horses and the Escalation of Commitment /123
- 17 Oct 2021 Does Fast Tracking increase project cost? /348
- 13 Jan 2020 Quiz: Test your understanding project cost management /568
- 02 Dec 2021 3 Ways to Avoid Scope Creep in IT Consulting /192
- 06 Jun 2022 Change Management at the Project Level /292
- 09 May 2022 Build one to throw away vs Second-system effect: What are differences? /297
- 10 May 2022 Levels of Teamwork /180
- 03 Jan 2023 Organizing your agile teams? Think about M.A.T (Mastery, Autonomy, Purpose) /333
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.
Continue reading at kathleenallen.net
| 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. |
Explore more on these topics
Guest Blogging: The Definitive Guide
Top Trending Topics
Share This
Link copied!