WHAT IS ICEBERG THINKING? Boosting your Accomplish + optimism through learning how to look beyond your first thoughts and impressions.
Picture an iceberg in your mind. You can only see a small fraction of it above the waterline, the vast majority of it is beneath the surface and this is the part the ocean currents push on and move. Often you form opinions from what you first hear and see about an issue or event that has occurred. You are just looking at it from above the waterline and in most cases, there is much more to a situation than just this snapshot view of the tip. Iceberg thinking is looking beyond an event or something that happened for patterns, connections and underlying reasons for what has occurred.
QUESTIONS EVENT What happened?
ACTIONS FIRST THOUGHTS What do I think?
TRENDS/PATTERNS What has been happening? Has this happened before? What has changed? STRUCTURE Why did it happen? How did it happen? Who made it happen? MENTAL MODELS What was assumed? What is believed? Why is this believed?
PLAN What do I usually do? What will I do? Things to be considered? DESIGN How can I use this? Where does this fit? Why did they do this? ADAPT Make sense now? Is this still the case? New approaches needed?
DEEPER KNOWLEDGE
For one of these headlines, or an issue you have experienced recently, complete the table to practise iceberg thinking. »A demonstration was held wanting our national flag to be changed. » It will be compulsory for all students to spend an extra two hours daily at school to complete their homework. » All students will have to exercise at school every day for an hour. Reflect on and answer the following questions
Iceberg Thinking for the future – reflect on and answer the following questions
What has happened?
What do I think?
What has been happening? Has this happened before? What has changed?
What do I usually do? What will I do? Things to be considered?
Why did it happen? How did it happen? Who made it happen?
How can I use this? Where does this fit? Why did they do this?
What was assumed? What is believed? Why is this believed?
Make sense now? Is this still the case? New approaches needed?
How can I use my top strengths to use Iceberg Thinking? What other strengths would be valuable to use here?
What are five emotions I have to be mindfully in charge of to use Iceberg Thinking?
Acknowledgement: George Ambler
“Picture your brain forming new connections as you meet the challenge and learn.” Carol Dweck 15
