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Performance Optimisation - Senior Leaders are only aware of 4% of their business's problems

Updated: Sep 13

The Iceberg of Ignorance, a concept derived from Sidney Yoshida's research in 1989, is still very much the reality within businesses today.

Cartoon image of an iceberg with only a small amount of the ice above the surface and the rest under the water. On the image are data points: 4% of problems are known to executives, 9% are known to senior managers, 74% are known to team leaders and 100% are known to staff. There is also a summary statement that 96% of problems are hidden from the view of senior leaders

When people see this research, they tend to intuitively agree with it because, unfortunately, organisational hierarchies and performance/reward programmes don't incentivise employees to talk about the issues, just the successes.


Those on the ground not only know what the problems are though, they are also best placed to resolve those problems as they are closest to them.


So, by creating psychologically safe ways for teams to surface problems to visibility and a then giving them a framework to to resolve those problems, you remove obstacles to optimal performance, and you also boost engagement, and wellbeing.


Sounds hard? Perspective makes it easy. Get in touch and find out how.




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