Time to read: 4 minutes
Article at a Glance:
- The iceberg metaphor reminds us that most of a person’s motivations, values, and experiences lie beneath the surface of visible behavior.
- Occhiolism and Ubuntu are core values at Redmond that encourage humility, empathy, and seeing the whole human, not just their output.
- Tools like PAEI and the Color Code help teams understand diverse work styles without reducing people to labels.
- Real change starts below the surface. Lasting growth comes from aligning behaviors with inner beliefs, not just adopting surface-level habits.
You’ll probably hear us throw the term “iceberg” around a lot at Redmond.
This is a common metaphor to show that there’s more to a person or situation than what we can immediately see. But here, it’s also a lens we use to understand people more fully, including ourselves.
The Hidden Depths of Each Person
At Redmond, the iceberg metaphor reminds us to choose curiosity over assumption.
When we interact with others, we only see what’s above the surface: actions, words, performance, stuff like that. But beneath that visible layer are things like values, past experiences, and personality wiring. Without acknowledging those, we miss the opportunity to really know and see each other.
That’s why Occhiolism and Ubuntu are two of our core values.
Occhiolism reminds us that our perspective is always incomplete. It keeps us asking: What are we not seeing? It trains us to pause before reacting, and to get curious before we get judgmental.
Ubuntu says: I see you. I see me. I am because we are. It means we assume good intent. We seek to understand the whole human, not just their output, the way they communicate, or their role.
This is also why we use tools like PAEI and the Color Code, not to box people in, but to give us a little more insight into how different motivations and work styles might show up. It helps us see past the surface and build teams where everyone’s contribution is valued.
The Iceberg Within
The iceberg concept doesn’t just help us understand others. It’s a powerful lens for self-awareness, too.
Our own behaviors are driven by deeper currents: beliefs, emotions, motivations, paradigms, and mindset. When something’s “off,” the surface behavior is rarely the full story. It might be a values mismatch, a fear, or just old wiring running the show.
And to change behavior, we have to get below the surface. In other words, you can’t simply behave your way into understanding.
This is why we put so much emphasis on philosophy and exploration of culture topics rather than telling people what to do. When we deeply understand a concept (like our core values), we’re likely to live it.
Culture concepts can feel ambiguous, but what they really are is broad and nuanced. There’s not a single way to interpret or live them because we’re all growing and changing as individuals and groups.
We’re all in different stages of very different journeys. The world is changing, and we’re constantly adapting, so these principles will always look different in practice.
The more we explore and come to understand these concepts, the more they’ll shape our actions, whether we’re aware of it or not. Adding tools and behaviors as we learn is a helpful bonus, but on their own, they won’t change our beliefs under the surface.
You can try to adopt new habits, but if it doesn’t match your inner beliefs, it won’t stick or feel right. The change has to start deep down.
Take Occhiolism again. It’s not about listening techniques, it’s about having a philosophy of humility and curiosity about other perspectives. It shows up naturally in behavior, but only when it’s real on the inside.
Same with Ubuntu. You can offer to help your team, but if it’s grudging, that’s not Ubuntu. It’s a way of being, not a to-do list.
So next time you see a behavior—yours or someone else’s—pause. Remember the iceberg, and ask what might be underneath. Then start from there.
Because that’s where the real growth begins!
