The Iceberg Model and Coachness

The Iceberg Model is a powerful metaphor in coaching.

What we see on the surface - behaviour, is often only a small part of what is happening within a person.

Beneath it may be emotions, thoughts, beliefs, strengths, values and identity.

This invites the coach to look beyond the presenting problem and explore the person more deeply.

Yet there is a subtle pitfall.

The moment you assume that there must be something “deeper” beneath what is seen, you can begin interpreting the client rather than understanding them.

For example: “My manager / spouse / child doesn’t trust me.”

You could immediately explore:

What happened?

What did you feel?

What were you thinking?

What belief is underneath this?

What value does this touch?

All useful questions but there is another question that can change the conversation “What ‘trust’ means to you?”

Thanks to Coach Srikanthan as he not only taught us ‘the iceberg way’ but also how to utilise it to client’s advantage. This post is a tribute to him.

Because the statement “my manager / spouse / child doesn’t trust me” maybe…

a mere observation.

Or an interpretation.

Or a memory influencing the present.

Or an assumption that has become so familiar that it feels like fact.

This is where Indic Wisdom offers a complementary lens.

Patañjali speaks of Vṛttis - the modifications through which experience is interpreted.

The invitation here, through this post, is not simply to go deeper into the layers.

It is to develop Viveka: the discernment to distinguish what is being observed from what is being interpreted.

So, Coachness is not about digging endlessly beneath the iceberg.

It is about cultivating enough presence to see what is actually happening, enough discernment to recognise our assumptions, and enough awareness to ask what is appropriate now.

Not coaching someone towards a predetermined deeper self but creating the conditions for awakening (Prabodha), discernment (Viveka) and responsible action (Dharma) to emerge from within the conversation.

This is where coaching can move from going deeper… to seeing clearly, then going deeper, if that’s where the client’s need is…

Same applies to leadership and other conversations that we have / engage in, across the spectrum called life.

🗓️ Check https://www.coachness.org/coaching-with-indic-wisdom for upcoming program dates