One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is partnering with HR and L&D teams to help them master vertical development and mindset principles. When these teams truly understand and integrate these concepts, they are better equipped to elevate the leaders and employees in their organizations, leading to more profound and lasting transformations.
Over the past year, I had the privilege of working with two such teams: a group of L&D professionals in a healthcare company and a team of HR personnel in a credit union. Both groups shared a commonality—prior to our work together, they were already focusing on mindsets in their development efforts, but they lacked deep clarity on why. They wanted to understand vertical development, its transformational potential, and how to effectively employ it within their organizations.
Elevating L&D in Healthcare: The Power of Language and Intentionality
The first group consisted of five L&D professionals within a healthcare company. Their leader sought my expertise because she wanted to make her team more cutting-edge, ensuring they were positioned to make a truly transformational impact. As I engaged with them, I quickly realized that they were already employing vertical development strategies—but they didn’t know it. They just recognized that their approach was different from conventional methods, and they could see it was making an impact.
One of the most significant ways I was able to support this group was by providing language to articulate their strategies and efforts. This newfound clarity allowed them to be more intentional and focused in their development initiatives. As a result, not only did they enhance their impact on leaders and employees, but they also began seeing the results more quickly. By naming and framing their approach through the lens of vertical development, they gained a powerful tool for refining and amplifying their efforts.
HR in a Crisis: The Unexpected Power of Vertical Development
The second group, a team of a dozen HR professionals in a credit union, embarked on their journey with me with much less familiarity with vertical development. Our initial focus was to help them understand what vertical development is, why it should be central to an organization’s development strategy, and how to implement it effectively.
However, our work took on an unexpected and profound dimension when the organization faced a major IT crisis. A problematic transition caused the company’s online banking platform to go down, creating chaos for both employees and customers. Customer-facing staff were overwhelmed with unresolved issues, while corporate employees were dispatched to branches to help manage the fallout. The stress was immense, and the entire organization felt the weight of the disruption.
Fortunately, because the HR team had been introduced to vertical development principles, they were equipped to step up in ways they otherwise might not have been. They quickly developed a plan to support employees through “Healing Cafés,” structured sessions designed to help employees process the organizational trauma they had experienced and receive additional support.
Looking back, it’s clear that had the HR team not been versed in vertical development, they would have struggled to provide the emotional and psychological support their workforce needed. Instead, they were able to foster resilience and healing, helping the organization rebound more effectively from a highly challenging period.
Elevate Your HR and L&D Teams
These two stories highlight the transformational potential of vertical development when embraced by HR and L&D teams. When these teams deepen their understanding and intentionality around vertical development, they can unlock new levels of leadership growth and organizational resilience.
If you are looking to elevate your HR or L&D team to more effectively employ vertical development in your organization, I would love to work with you. Let’s explore how we can drive meaningful transformation together.
