Download PPT for Complete Course on Competency Iceberg Model | The iceberg model for competencies takes the help of an iceberg to explain the concept of competency. An iceberg which has just one-ninth of its volume above water and the rest remains beneath the surface in the sea. Similarly, a competency has some components which are visible like knowledge and skills but other behavioural components like attitude, traits, thinking styles, self-image, organizational fit etc are hidden or beneath the surface. Ice-Berg ModelThe pictorial representation of the model is as below: |
Let us take a look at the different components of the model:
So, is there a relation between the competencies which are above the surface and those which lie beneath? In the book Competence at Work Models for Superior Performance, the authors Lyle M. Spencer and Signe M. Spencer explain that a behaviour is incompletely defined without intent.
The aspects of competencies which lie below the surface like attitude, traits, thinking styles etc directly influence the usage of knowledge and skills to complete a job effectively.
Let us try to understand it through an example. Suppose an organization is promoting an open door policy which literally means that a manager or supervisor would keep the doors of his/her chamber open to become accessible to their subordinates and encourage sharing of opinions and feedback. A manager sitting at the farthest corner of the office keeps his door open all the time, how does one evaluate whether it is for fresh air, claustrophobia or an indication that his subordinates are invited to reach out to him anytime. Therefore, intent behind a displayed action is necessary to understand the action and its implication fully.
In more complex jobs, these behavioural aspects, motives and traits become more important than the skills and knowledge required to do the job. Think of a soldier at the war front, he knows how to use the weapon he is holding, but thinks that the war is unjust and refuses to fire. In organizations, senior level hiring is therefore a time consuming and elaborate affair as it becomes necessary to establish the alignment between the organizational and individual motivation and aspirations.
Developing the two levels of competencies also takes different routes. The visible competencies like knowledge and skills can be easily developed through training and skill building exercises however the behavioural competencies are rather difficult to assess and develop. It takes more time and effort intensive exercises, like psychotherapy, counseling, coaching and mentoring, developmental experiences etc.
In the traditional method of hiring, most of the organizations looked at just the visible components of competencies; the knowledge and skills, believing that the behavioural aspects can be developed through proper guidance and good management. However, with major shifts in the conventional methods of people management, the hiring process has also undergone a change therefore a lot of emphasis is being put on the hidden behavioural aspects as well to make a sound decision. Hence, a complete picture regarding the competence of a person consists of both visible and hidden aspects and it becomes necessary to understand both to arrive at identifying the best man for a job.
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Some cultural differences are visible. Others are hidden. Visible cultural elements include artefacts, symbols, and practices such as: art and architecture; language, colour, and dress; social etiquette and traditions. Although they are the most obvious, visible cultural differences make up only ten percent of our cultural identities. The iceberg provides a useful analogy. The small ‘tip of the iceberg’ that can be seen above
the water level represents visible cultural elements. The 90% of the iceberg that remains unseen below the surface represents the hidden cultural differences. Hidden differences include cultural values and assumptions. Values are the worth we attach to something or a broad tendency to prefer one state of affairs to another—for example, freedom of speech,
group harmony, or gender equality. Assumptions are ideas that are accepted as truths to even when there is no proof—for example, ‘I control my own destiny’. Others prefer to explain culture by using the onion analogy. In this model, culture is the deep inner core of abstract ideas that manifest as increasingly tangible outer layers. The inner core equates to the submerged base of the iceberg: values and assumptions. These
fundamental building blocks are encircled by specific beliefs, attitudes, and conventions. Beliefs are like assumptions but more specific: ‘If I achieve material success, I will have greater social status’. Attitudes involve a positive or negative evaluation of an object or idea: ‘The best decisions are made rationally’. Conventions are acceptable behaviours: ‘I eat rice with my hand’. Beliefs, attitudes, and conventions drive cultural systems and institutions. Systems and institutions organise culture into formal practices. Political systems make decisions for societies; economic systems facilitate the production and distribution of products and services; legal systems impose sanctions for deviance from cultural norms; educational systems enable the transmission of knowledge; social systems guide reproduction and child-rearing; and religious systems manage uncertainty. Using the onion analogy, the outer layer corresponds to the tip
of the iceberg. It comprises all those visible features that characterise a particular culture. Symbols, for example, and the symbolic behaviours that make up rituals, hold particular meaning that is recognised only by those who share the culture. Man-made artefacts and products— including tools and even computers—are invested with cultural significance. Heroes and legendary figures—people who are dead or alive, real or imaginary—embody the characteristics that are prized in a culture,
and serve as models for behaviour.The iceberg analogy
The onion analogy
The various parts of a cultural system are interrelated. Together the entire system expresses a group’s attempts to adapt to its social and physical environment.
Melting the iceberg and peeling the onion
Both the iceberg and onion analogies highlight the relative importance of the hidden elements of culture. Cultural problems cannot be resolved at the surface. Focusing on the visible features of culture alone will not prevent misunderstanding and conflict. Tangible cultural features, such as differences in language or dress, might present barriers, but the less obvious characteristics of culture cause the most problems.
Understanding the values, assumptions, and beliefs of a cultural group is critical to bridging cultural differences. For an effective resolution, it is necessary to dive beneath the surface or peel away the outer layers and focus on core values. These elements are invisible and subconscious. They are often overlooked.
ResearchSpencer-Oatey, H. [2000]. Culturally speaking: Managing rapport through talk across cultures. London: Continuum.
Felicity Menzies is CEO and Principal Consultant at Include-Empower.Com, a diversity and inclusion consultancy with expertise in inclusive leadership, unconscious bias, cultural intelligence and inclusion, gender equity, empowering diverse talent. Felicity is an accredited facilitator with the Cultural Intelligence Centre and the author of A World of Difference. Felicity has over 15 years of experience working with and managing diverse workforces in blue chip companies and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand. Felicity also holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.