Want to Implement Vertical Development? A Guide for Organizations
One day last week, I got the same question from two different potential clients: Where does an organization start if they want to integrate vertical development into their development efforts? I want to not only answer this questions, but provide additional layers to consider. Step #1 – Awareness In vertical development work, the starting spot […]
The Four Practices Necessary for Vertical Development
What is Vertical Development? Vertical development is the process of upgrading our own internal operating system so that we operate in more cognitively and emotionally sophisticated ways. It is the process by which we become better. Vertical development is necessary for the improvement of the following characteristics, which I believe we should all aspire to: […]
The Most Common Executive Struggles – Part 4
Let’s look at vulnerability through the lens of vertical development and how we “make meaning” of vulnerability.
Vertical Development & Hermit Crabs
Hermit crabs live in shells. As they grow, they need to move into bigger and bigger shells. The process of upgrading shells is called “molting.” The molting process takes 4-8 weeks and hermit crabs will molt every 12-18 months. Since hermit crabs can live for more than 30 years, this means that they can potentially molt 30 times in their lifespan.
Leader, How Wide is Your Window of Tolerance?
I have been doing a number of 360-degree feedback-type assessments and follow-up coaching with leaders over the last year, and I have learned several things that have been surprising. Let me share a couple of these surprises with you. For context, in these assessments, the leaders’ subordinates, peers, and superiors evaluate the leader across a […]
Vertical Development Example #5: Adam Grant
There is nobody that I follow on social media that adds more value to my life than Adam Grant. I often describe Adam Grant of the Mozart of Organizational Behavior. He had more A-level academic publications at 30 than most prolific researchers have in their entire career. He is also the youngest person to ever […]
Vertical Development Example #4: Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek is a leadership guru that is almost a household name in the business world. This is largely because he has the third most viewed TED talk of all time and he is the author of five different business books (my favorite is The Infinite Game). What has allowed him to be so influential? […]