We Each Have an Ego Driver

Woman thinking

Through my learning about vertical development and my own vertical development journey, I have come to see, learn, and appreciate that everyone has an “Ego Driver,” sometimes referred to as our “shadow self.” In this article, I want to share some things that I have learned about our Ego Driver. In the next article, I […]

The Breadth and Depth of Vertical Development Efforts and Activities

Young woman writing in her journal

Over the last two weeks, I have been asked one question at least three times. This question has followed my disclosure that I have been working with a therapist for two years as a part of my vertical development efforts. The question is, “How do you take someone from zero (almost a skepticism of therapy […]

The Four Practices Necessary for Vertical Development

zen businessman doing yoga meditation

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: […]

Most Common Executive Struggles – Part 3

firefighters

Research on vertical development has found that people can operate with different internal operating systems that vary in their cognitive and emotional sophistication.

What is Vertical Development?

Stairs

Vertical development is new to the leadership and personal development space, but research on vertical development has been around for over 50 years in the field of developmental psychology.