Thriving Under Pressure: A Happiness Scientist’s Guide to the Iceberg Method
Apr 12 , 2025
As an event professional, you’re constantly managing moving parts—tight timelines, shifting demands, and high-stakes expectations. It’s no wonder the stress feels relentless.
And yet despite your best efforts, the same challenges keep popping up: exhaustion, miscommunication, frustrated clients.
Ever wonder why?
Think of these challenges like an iceberg. What’s visible—missed deadlines, team tension, last-minute changes—is just the tip.
Beneath the surface lie unspoken expectations, hidden fears, old assumptions, and emotional strain.
To create real change, we have to look deeper.
Why the Iceberg Method Works
In high-pressure industries like events, surface-level fixes (like productivity hacks or team huddles) don’t last.
The Iceberg Method helps you slow down and explore what’s really driving the stress:
- Spot the Symptoms – What’s happening on the surface (burnout, misalignment)?
- Notice the Patterns – When do these things tend to happen?
- Examine the Systems – Are your workflows or team norms contributing to the issue?
- Uncover Beliefs – What fears or assumptions are you or your team holding? (e.g. “I can’t say no to a client.”)
Start with Gentle Reflection
Before you jump into solving the problem, start by asking:
- How am I really feeling right now?
- What might be underneath my stress?
- Is there a belief making this harder than it needs to be?
These small moments of reflection build self-awareness, which is the first step to meaningful change.
Take Small, Sustainable Steps
You don’t need a big overhaul. You need intentional action:
- Weekly check-ins focused on emotional wellbeing
- Simple pulse surveys to track stress and morale
- Realistic adjustments that match your team’s bandwidth
- Time-bound goals to evaluate and refine over time
Meet the Happiness Scientist AI
To support you, I’ve created a supportive AI tool for event professionals—it’s like having your own calm, curious coach in your pocket. It helps you:
- Reflect at your own pace
- Uncover what’s really driving stress
- Create practical steps that actually stick
No overwhelm. Just thoughtful guidance, one layer at a time.
Real Scenario: Burnout Behind the Scenes
Let’s take a real scenario.
Your team is drained after every big event. Instead of jumping into the next event, it will be helpful to pause and ask:
- “What’s really causing this stress?”
- “What might be getting in the way of us speaking openly about how we’re coping?”
You realize the culture discourages honesty around workload. Together, you introduce short daily check-ins to make space for truth-telling. Slowly, the pressure starts to ease.
What’s Beneath Your Iceberg?
If you keep hitting the same walls, it may be time to go deeper.
Pause. Breathe. Reflect.
The Iceberg Method, supported by me, your Happiness Scientist and AI tool, is here to help you lead with insight, clarity, and care—for yourself and your team.
CHAT WITH YOUR HAPPINESS SCIENTIST NOW
You don’t need to do more. You need to dig deeper and see what’s happening under the surface.
Let’s explore—together.
Warmly,
Sha-En
Your Happiness Scientist