The Identity Iceberg

Today I want to share one of the most powerful concepts in the Action Coach toolbox, the Identity Iceberg.  Understanding this concept will help you achieve the results you want from yourself and your team.

The Identity Iceberg…

(this is not the traditional flipchart, I had to format it for the newsletter –ed.)

                       R E S U L T S<-------------HAVE

                                   DO-------------->ACTIONS & DECISIONS

BEHAVIOUR

(water line)-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-(water line)

SKILLS

BELIEFS

VALUES

                                                                          IDENTITY<-----------BE

E N V I R O N M E N T

Take a look at the flipchart and note that it is a picture of an iceberg.  How much of an iceberg is above the water or visible?  Probably only around 10%.  That is the portion of the iceberg that you normally see.  What is it that is normally visible in a person?  It is their BEHAVIOR, ACTIONS, and DECISIONS – or what they DO.  What I DO produces RESULTS, or what I HAVE.  But if I want to produce a sustained, long term change in what I DO (my BEHAVIOR, ACTIONS, and DECISIONS), I really need to look below the surface at what produces and drives what I do.

My SKILLS are what initially drive my BEHAVIOR.  If I don’t know how to do something, I won’t do it.  If I want to change my behavior, I sometimes need to learn or develop a new skill.  Let’s use an example of tracking and managing the financial aspect of my business.  If I don’t know how to put together a cashflow budget, or don’t have the understanding of profitability and equity, I will likely avoid that aspect of my business (not a good idea!). 

I may also carry limiting BELIEFS that I am not good at math.  Even though the mathematics needed to do basic business finance are very elementary, many people avoid it because they BELIEVE that they are no good at numbers.  I had one client that was told by her fourth grade teacher that she was terrible at math and would never be any good at numbers.  She hated the thought of looking at financials in her business.  I have helped other clients recognize and work through limiting beliefs in the areas of people skills, sales, and personal organization.

Another concept that drives behavior is VALUES.  I DO what I VALUE.  I will only change a belief if it is important, or valuable to me to do so.  My VALUES drive my BELIEFS, and my BELIEFS drive my SKILLS.  Note at the very base of the ICEBERG is IDENTITY.  Identity, or self concept, is the way we see ourselves.  If you really want to change, it is essential that you start to see yourself as a person the person that you want to BE.  As human beings, we have the wonderful ability to visualize, dream, and create our self concept in our minds.  Everything in life has been created twice, in the mind first and then in the physical realm.  Professional athletes know that the game is won or lost between the ears.  If I can see myself as a certain person, then I will embrace the values, beliefs, and skills of such a person.  The words “I AM” come before the expression of identity.  The ultimate expression of proactivity is choosing your identity.  It is choosing the ENVIRONMENT and thoughts about yourself that will form the IDENTITY, VALUES, BELIEFS and SKILLS that drive the BEHAVIOR, ACTIONS, and DECISIONS that will ultimately produce the RESULTS that you want to HAVE in life.

So determine what you really want to HAVE, and then ask what you have to DO and who you have to BE.  Begin to affirm that new Identity in your speech, thoughts, and actions.  Develop the skills and environment congruent with that new identity.