As icebergs, organizations including for-profit and non-profit are struggling with their internal capacities to survive and thrive from external driving factors which are mostly hidden under the surface of deep oceans.
In an iceberg organization, only 4% of problems are known to top managers 9% of problems are known to middle managers 74% of problems are known to supervisors 100% of problems are known to front-line employees (The study by Sidney Yoshida 1989 still holds true).
Problems in an organization can be broken down into 4 categories, namely:
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Risks - the Problems mostly identified through due diligence or risk management efforts;
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Conflicts - the Problems mostly identified through the handling of grievances, complaints, suggestions, or any conflict management efforts,
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Changes - the Problems mostly identified through restructuring, reform, reorganization, or change management efforts; &
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Crises - the Problems mostly reacted to control following the failure to resolve the accumulated, prolonged & unsolved Risks, Conflicts, Changes within an organization.
Problems as RCCC - Risks/Conflicts/Changes/Crises - if identified regularly together with the categorised underlying root causes could help seek cost-effective & and systematic solutions to continuous improvement and organisational genes.