When the iceberg is melting, how do we communicate through change?

It starts, as many change stories do, with a simple sentence.

“Our iceberg is melting.”

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In 2006, Harvard Professor John P. Kotter shared a story about a colony of penguins in Antarctica. They had lived happily on their iceberg for years, until one curious penguin noticed something others had not.

A potentially devastating crack. At first, no one listened. What followed was a very human story.

Resistance to change and moments of denial. Confusion and insight. Intractable obstacles alongside small acts of courage. And eventually, a shift toward collective problem solving.

It is a charming story. It is also an uncomfortably familiar one. Because while the setting may be Antarctica, the pattern plays out in organisations every day. And, if we are honest, the penguins often handle change better than we do.

In today’s rapidly changing world, organisations face increasingly dynamic and unpredictable transformations. On the human side of things, this brings uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, shaping how we think, feel and behave.

Although change is a fundamental part of life, it rarely feels neutral. Uncertainty makes it harder to plan, predict or feel in control. It can create tension, hesitation or resistance, even when the change itself is necessary or positive.

Which leaves many leaders with a familiar and important question.

How do you best prepare and support your people, your team and your organisation to navigate the complexities of change?

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Lead-Well is the result of many conversations, interactions and experiences shared with people across the globe. Across work spanning three continents and sectors including finance, manufacturing and mining, a consistent pattern emerges.

Change does not fail because people are incapable. It struggles when the human side of change is underestimated.

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The patterns that hold change back?

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Whether in 1:1 coaching sessions or leadership workshops, similar themes surface time and again.

Leaders are trying to move things forward, yet:

• Resistance is denied, argued with or dismissed
• There is an assumption that good design will ensure compliance
• Difficult conversations are avoided to prevent discomfort
• Communication is delayed or treated as a one-off event
• Change is managed at a single point rather than across the journey
• There is an expectation that everyone will reach commitment at the same time
  

These responses are understandable. They often come from pressure, responsibility and a desire to get it right. Yet they can unintentionally increase uncertainty and reduce trust.

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What tends to help?

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Kotter’s work reminds us that change is not a single event. It is a sequence that requires attention at every stage.

In practice, what consistently supports people through change is grounded in a few key behaviours:

• Over-communicating the why and the vision
• Being clear about what is not changing
• Creating visible progress and meaningful pay-offs
• Identifying who is most impacted and supporting them early
• Using different communication approaches, not just one message
• Building practical capability, not just awareness
• Actively monitoring how the change is landing
  

Simple in principle, but challenging in practice. Especially as all of it revolves around one core foundation...

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Trust

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Trust is often thought of as something we either have or do not have. In reality, it is something we build, especially in moments of uncertainty.

Rachel Botsman, the first Trust Fellow at Oxford University's Saïd Business School, describes trust as:

“A confident relationship with the unknown.”

The greater the unknown, the more trust is required. In times of change, people are not only asking what is happening. They are asking whether they can rely on what they are hearing, whether they will be supported and whether actions will align with words.

Communication becomes the bridge. Not perfect communication. Not overly polished communication.

Clear, consistent and human communication.

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A practical reflection

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If the iceberg is melting, the goal is not to deliver a perfect message from the edge of it.

It is to help people understand what is happening, why it matters and what comes next. To create enough clarity that people can move, even when not everything is known.

And perhaps to listen more closely to the penguin (or human) who first spotted the crack.

Three questions to consider

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1. Where might we be under-communicating what matters most right now?
2. What are people left to interpret or assume for themselves?
3. How are we actively building trust through this change?

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At its best, communication through change is not about control. It is about connection. It helps people stay grounded when things are shifting. It creates shared understanding where there could be confusion. And it reinforces the kind of culture you are trying to build.

A culture where people feel informed, supported and trusted (even when the iceberg is melting).

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