The penguins living on the iceberg realize their home is melting and may break apart. Fred notices the signs of melting and tries to convince the leaders it is a problem. After seeing evidence, some leaders believe Fred but others are hesitant. A plan is made to scout for a new home. Young penguins are scared at first but become enthusiastic to help once they are empowered and see the scout team as heroes. The scouts successfully find a new iceberg for the colony to relocate to.

1. Their home is not safe.
What about yours?
Retold of the story by
Chulatep Senivongse

2. About the book
Our Iceberg Is Melting is a simple fable about doing well in an ever-changing world. Based on the awardwinning work of Harvard's John Kotter, it is a story that has been used to help thousands of people and
organizations.
The fable is about a penguin colony in Antarctica. A group of beautiful emperor penguins live as they
have for many years. Then one curious bird discovers a potentially devastating problem threatening their
home and pretty much no one listens to him.
The characters in the story, Fred, Alice, Louis, Buddy, the Professor, and NoNo, are like people we
recognize — even ourselves. Their tale is one of resistance to change and heroic action, seemingly
intractable obstacles and the most clever tactics for dealing with those obstacles. It's a story that is
occurring in different forms all around us today — but the penguins handle the very real challenges a
great deal better than most of us.
Our Iceberg Is Melting is based on pioneering work that shows how Eight Steps produce needed change
in any sort of group. It's a story that can be enjoyed by anyone while at the same time providing
invaluable guidance for a world that just keeps moving faster and faster.

3. I Iwish to tell you aastory about aaflock of
wish to tell you story about flock of
penguin who live on an iceberg in
penguin who live on an iceberg in
Antarctica, the South Pole
Antarctica, the South Pole

4. This flock of penguin has been living as aa
This flock of penguin has been living as
colony on this iceberg for years as far back
colony on this iceberg for years as far back
as they can remember. They would tell
as they can remember. They would tell
you “This is our home”.
you “This is our home”.

5. They learn to live together in harmony like
They learn to live together in harmony like
aabig family. Penguin is monogamy. The
big family. Penguin is monogamy. The
build family with love and marriage.
build family with love and marriage.

6. Penguins always go hunting for
Penguins always go hunting for
creatures in the sea and spend much
creatures in the sea and spend much
of their time with friends and
of their time with friends and
relatives. Except this one. “Fred”.
relatives. Except this one. “Fred”.
Fred is very curious and observant.
Fred is very curious and observant.
This is Fred. He
is watching the
sea

7. Fred had aabriefcase stuffed full of
Fred had briefcase stuffed full of
observations, ideas, and conclusions.
observations, ideas, and conclusions.
One day Fred notice an iceberg
One day Fred notice an iceberg
collapsed into many piece. Their
collapsed into many piece. Their
home is becoming fragile!
home is becoming fragile!
Oh boy…I
Oh boy…I
have to do
have to do
something!
something!

8. Icebergs are not like ice cubes. The bergs can have cracks inside, called
canals.
The canals can lead to large
caves. If the ice melts sufficiently, cracks can be exposed to water, which would then
pour into the canals and caves.
air bubbles called
During a cold winter, the narrow canals filled with water can freeze quickly, trapping water inside the caves. As
the temperature goes lower, the water in the caves will also freeze. Freezing liquid expand dramatically
in volume, an iceberg could be broken into pieces.

9. Show me how
Show me how
it happened.
it happened.
Alice, our
Alice, our
home is
home is
in
in
danger!
danger!
Alice is one of the
Alice is one of the
Leadership Council
Leadership Council
member. She was tough
member. She was tough
and has reputation of
and has reputation of
getting things done.
getting things done.
Fred took Alice to dive down the water and
Fred took Alice to dive down the water and
pointed out fissures and other symptoms of
pointed out fissures and other symptoms of
deterioration caused by melting. Alice
deterioration caused by melting. Alice
followed Fred into the heart of the iceberg
followed Fred into the heart of the iceberg
to see it with her own eyes.
to see it with her own eyes.

10. This was not good.
This was not good.
I Imust talk to all
must talk to all
the leaders.
the leaders.
I Iwill prepare
will prepare
presentation to
presentation to
convince them
convince them
Alice was shaken by what
Alice was shaken by what
she had seen.
she had seen.
Fred felt relieved as someone else had
Fred felt relieved as someone else had
shared his worries, but felt worse as he did
shared his worries, but felt worse as he did
not have solution to it.
not have solution to it.

11. Louise was the head of the
Louise was the head of the
council and the most
council and the most
respected of them all.
respected of them all.
Alice was aapractical,
Alice was practical,
aggressive, and make things
aggressive, and make things
happen.
happen.
NoNo was one of the council
NoNo was one of the council
member who was
member who was
responsible for weathering
responsible for weathering
forecast. He was
forecast. He was
accustomed to being blamed
accustomed to being blamed
for being wrong in his
for being wrong in his
forecast.
forecast.
Buddy, handsome, slightest
Buddy, handsome, slightest
bit ambitious.
bit ambitious.

12. Fred prepared an
Fred prepared an
iceberg model made of
iceberg model made of
ice to show to the
ice to show to the
council.
council.
After seeing the
After seeing the
demonstration, Louis was
demonstration, Louis was
hesitant for the assumption,
hesitant for the assumption,
while NoNo said “No iceberg
while NoNo said “No iceberg
is not melting”.
is not melting”.

13. Can you
Can you
guarantee that his
guarantee that his
data and
data and
conclusions are
conclusions are
100% correct?
100% correct?
I Ican’t. But if our iceberg break
can’t. But if our iceberg break
into pieces in winter, would
into pieces in winter, would
many of us die?
many of us die?
Imagine parents who
Imagine parents who
lost their children
lost their children
come and ask “How
come and ask “How
could this
could this
happened?” “What
happened?” “What
were you doing?”
were you doing?”
“Why didn’t you
“Why didn’t you
foresee the crisis?”
foresee the crisis?”
If Fred is right, we
If Fred is right, we
will have only two
will have only two
months till winter to
months till winter to
prepare things.
prepare things.

14. Worrying
Worrying
them is
them is
VERY bad
VERY bad
Alice said “We must
Alice said “We must
inform everyone.
inform everyone.
We must call aa
We must call
General Assembly of
General Assembly of
the Colony”.
the Colony”.
Louis needed proof if
Louis needed proof if
the assumption was
the assumption was
not aamistake before
not mistake before
calling the meeting
calling the meeting
MUST keep
MUST keep
this as aa
this as
secret!
secret!
PANIC!
PANIC!
Don’t want to
Don’t want to
panic anyone!
panic anyone!

15. Before deciding if to call for
Before deciding if to call for
General Assembly, Fred
General Assembly, Fred
proposed an idea. With aabottle
proposed an idea. With bottle
that he found washed up ashore,
that he found washed up ashore,
and was harder and stronger
and was harder and stronger
than ice but as much as clear,
than ice but as much as clear,
He would fill up this bottle with
He would fill up this bottle with
water, seal it with aacap, and
water, seal it with cap, and
leave it in the ice for aanight. If
leave it in the ice for night. If
the next morning his assumption
the next morning his assumption
was correct, the bottle will be
was correct, the bottle will be
broken.
broken.
The next morning,
The next morning,
they found the
they found the
bottle broken.
bottle broken.
Their nightmare
Their nightmare
came true.
came true.
We have to
We have to
tell Everyone.
tell Everyone.

16. Our
iceberg is
melting?
Something
has to be
done.
Stop
Complaining
and start to
THINK!
What will
happened
to me?
Lesson 1 : Create the sense of Urgency
Oh Boy…
Oh Boy…

17. A team of 5--including Louise, Alice, Fred,
A team of 5--including Louise, Alice, Fred,
Buddy, and Professor--is to think of aa
Buddy, and Professor--is to think of
solution.
solution.
Lesson 2 : Pull Together the Guiding Team

18. Let’s drill the frozen
Let’s drill the frozen
ice and release the
ice and release the
water just like they
water just like they
did ititto an oil well.
did to an oil well.
With all our 268
With all our 268
birds helping handbirds helping handin-hand, ititwould
in-hand, would
take 5.2 years to do
take 5.2 years to do
that
that

19. Let’s move to the
Let’s move to the
center of Antarctica
center of Antarctica
where ice is thicker
where ice is thicker
and stronger
and stronger
We will be too far
We will be too far
from the water.
from the water.
How will we get
How will we get
fish?
fish?

20. What about using aa
What about using
superglue to hold
superglue to hold
the iceberg?
the iceberg?
That’s very funny.
That’s very funny.

21. ItItcould be very lost, but
could be very lost, but
ititdoes not seem to be
does not seem to be
afraid. What ififmoving
afraid. What moving
from one place to
from one place to
another was just the way
another was just the way
ititlives?
lives?
Look up there! The bird.
Look up there! The bird.
ItItcan’t fly forever. ItIt
can’t fly forever.
must have home some
must have home some
where.
where.
You say it’s aa
You say it’s
nomad?
nomad?
Yes. Moving
Yes. Moving
around.
around.
We wouldn’t try to fix melting
We wouldn’t try to fix melting
icebergs. We would just face up
icebergs. We would just face up
the fact that what sustains us
the fact that what sustains us
cannot go on forever. .
cannot go on forever

22. The idea is not new. We
The idea is not new. We
had done ititbefore. That
had done before. That
was our founder of the
was our founder of the
colony when he moved to
colony when he moved to
our home today.
our home today.
Lesson 3 : Develop Change Vision and Strategy

23. We will
move and
move
We will
not stick
to our ice.
Louise called aaGeneral Assembly again to
Louise called General Assembly again to
inform the new strategy.
inform the new strategy.

24. Lesson 4 : Communicate for Understanding and Buy-In

25. AAscout team should go
scout team should go
and look for another
and look for another
iceberg. Take your men and
iceberg. Take your men and
find such place.
find such place.
Yes Sir.
Yes Sir.

26. There were nearly aadozen birds expressed
There were nearly dozen birds expressed
interest in being scouts.
interest in being scouts.
Teacher told the young how
Teacher told the young how
scary the moving is. The young
scary the moving is. The young
are scare and start having
are scare and start having
nightmare.
nightmare.
Some leaders think the Scout
Some leaders think the Scout
team should need aaleader
team should need leader
and start lobbying Louise. This
and start lobbying Louise. This
cause conflict among leaders.
cause conflict among leaders.
Words of mouth spread for
Words of mouth spread for
obstacles from NoNo and the
obstacles from NoNo and the
feeding scout problem. More
feeding scout problem. More
and more discourage and did not
and more discourage and did not
attend the meeting.
attend the meeting.
NoNo and friends were forecasting
NoNo and friends were forecasting
storms and dangerous currents.
storms and dangerous currents.
Gods are mad and will punish
Gods are mad and will punish
them.
them.
Penguins need aalot of food to
Penguins need lot of food to
build up fat for winter. The
build up fat for winter. The
scout would have insufficient
scout would have insufficient
time to fish.
time to fish.
Louise told NoNo that his
Louise told NoNo that his
forecasting service is not needed
forecasting service is not needed
at this moment.
at this moment.

27. I Ithink I Ideserved to be the scout
think deserved to be the scout
leader. Please consider.
leader. Please consider.
LEAVE ME ALONE! That’s
LEAVE ME ALONE! That’s
Louise dealt with all bothering lobbyist in aa
Louise dealt with all bothering lobbyist in
straight and direct way.
straight and direct way.
ENOUGH!!
ENOUGH!!

28. Hi teacher, I Iwould love
Hi teacher, would love
you to tell your
you to tell your
students how heroic itit
students how heroic
was to do something
was to do something
for the colony.
for the colony.
OK… But
OK… But
can I Ikiss
can kiss
you?
you?
Buddy helped talking and convincing the
Buddy helped talking and convincing the
teacher to speak of bravery to the young,
teacher to speak of bravery to the young,
instead of scaring them.
instead of scaring them.

29. Son…What about
Son…What about
your nightmare? Are
your nightmare? Are
you still scared?
you still scared?
Oh, they are gone. I’m
Oh, they are gone. I’m
going to help the colony.
going to help the colony.
My teacher said no
My teacher said no
matter we were small or
matter we were small or
big, we could all help, ,
big, we could all help
Dad!
Dad!
I Iwill help fishing and
will help fishing and
spare for the scout. I I
spare for the scout.
will help with the
will help with the
promotion campaign.
promotion campaign.
Lesson 5 : Empower others to act.
We will celebrate the
We will celebrate the
“Tribute to Our Heroes
“Tribute to Our Heroes
Day” when they
Day” when they
return.
return.

30. Life was boring. This is
Life was boring. This is
FUN.
FUN.
I Imust help.
must help.
Strong, Bright, and highly
Strong, Bright, and highly
enthusiastic scouts
enthusiastic scouts
jumped into the water
jumped into the water
and search for aanew
and search for new
iceberg that is good
iceberg that is good
enough for them to
enough for them to
move to.
move to.
The scout had been
The scout had been
looking and trying to find
looking and trying to find
the answer.
the answer.
Jane will be proud
Jane will be proud
of me.
of me.

31. When the scouts returned, they told amazing
When the scouts returned, they told amazing
tales about the sea, about swimming long
tales about the sea, about swimming long
distances, and about new iceberg they had
distances, and about new iceberg they had
seen.
seen.
They used up aalot of energy and were
They used up lot of energy and were
hungry, the little member of the team gave
hungry, the little member of the team gave
them the spare squid for food.
them the spare squid for food.
Lesson 6 : Produce Short Term
Win

32. The little one also gave them the medals to
The little one also gave them the medals to
honor them as their Heroes. .
honor them as their Heroes

33. The next day, wasting no
The next day, wasting no
time, the second group of
time, the second group of
scouts were out to find the
scouts were out to find the
right iceberg which will be aa
right iceberg which will be
safe home, have tall snow
safe home, have tall snow
wall to protect from icy
wall to protect from icy
storm, close to fishing sites,
storm, close to fishing sites,
and locate on aaroute with
and locate on route with
enough for small ice bergs
enough for small ice bergs
or ice plateaus along the
or ice plateaus along the
way so the young and old
way so the young and old
can rest while migrating.
can rest while migrating.
Lesson 7 : Don’t Let Up, Press
Harder and Faster After the
First Success

34. A perfect iceberg was found. Later the colony
A perfect iceberg was found. Later the colony
move to the new home. The year after, they
move to the new home. The year after, they
were moving again to find aabetter iceberg.
were moving again to find better iceberg.

35. Now even they found aaperfect iceberg, they
Now even they found perfect iceberg, they
still keep moving, Nomadic become their
still keep moving, Nomadic become their
culture
culture
Lesson 8 : Create a New Culture

36. Just to wrap up
Just to wrap up
once again
once again
These are the
These are the
Change
Change
Management
Management
Process
Process

37. Louise
retired
becoming
only a
grandfather
raising his
many niece
and
nephews
Alice took
over Louise
job as the
Head of
the
Council
Buddy was
offered
many jobs,
but turn
them
down and
stay with
family
No one
believe
NoNo
anymore.
His
weather
forecast
job is
handed to
Professor
Fred
become
Head of
the Scout
Like other good stories, you want to know
Like other good stories, you want to know
what happened to them, right?
what happened to them, right?

38. That’s the end of the story, but just the beginning for you
to think if your company is safe?
Are you sure the iceberg is not melting?