To facilitate the process of developing a shared vision, we use the analogy of the iceberg. Together, participants describe the current situation of their organisation and environment by identifying symptoms (events or incidents that have happened), patterns (events that keep on occurring), and structures (the underlying causes that make patterns possible). In this process, mental models are made explicit that explain why the organisation is where it is.
A turning point is reached when the soul of the organisation is able to inspire and replace obstructing mental models. Leverage points are identified that with little effort can set in motion a profound system change: creating new structures that produce different patterns and eventually other symptoms.
We therefore also refer to this process as “acupuncture of organisational change”