How Knowing about ADHD Helps Us Understand the Value of Vertical Development

Recently, my daughter was diagnosed as having ADHD-I. As my wife and I have been learning about ADHD-I, my wife has been wondering whether she has ADHD-I. In my research, I have found that ADHD-I commonly goes undiagnosed, and this is particularly the case for adult women. ADHD-I is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-inattentive. It is one of […]
The Different Types of Complexity Leaders Need: Self-Complexity

In order for leaders to effectively navigate complex situations, they need to become complex beings. In my academic research, I have come to learn that there are different forms of complexity. There is moral complexity, behavioral complexity, emotional complexity, and self-complexity. I am in the middle of diving into these different forms of complexity. This […]
The Different Types of Complexity Leaders Need: Emotional Complexity

In order for leaders to effectively navigate complex situations, they need to become complex beings. In my academic research, I have come to learn that there are different forms of complexity. There is moral complexity, behavioral complexity, emotional complexity, cognitive complexity, and leader complexity. I am in the middle of diving into these different forms […]
The Different Types of Complexity Leaders Need: Behavioral Complexity

In order for leaders to effectively navigate complex situations, they need to become complex beings. In my academic research, I have come to learn that there are different forms of complexity. There is moral complexity, behavioral complexity, emotional complexity, cognitive complexity, and leader complexity. This week, I will focus on behavioral complexity. Regardless of the […]
The Different Types of Complexity Leaders Need: Moral Complexity

In order for leaders to effectively navigate complex situations, they need to become complex beings. In my academic research, I have come to learn that there are different forms of complexity. There is moral complexity, emotional complexity, behavioral complexity, and leader complexity. Starting this week, I will be diving into these different forms of complexity. […]
The Difference Between Great and Bad Leaders is Smaller than I Thought

I want to share one of my biggest learnings that I have had over the last several months of doing deep vertical development work with a variety of executive teams. This work has involved doing 360’s and a coaching exercise that facilitates a deep introspective dive designed to help people uncover their subconscious fears, mental […]
Elevating Your Dynamism as a Leader: An Instrument Analogy

One of the biggest challenges facing leaders right now is that over the last several years, complexity and tumultuousness have skyrocketed, exceeding leaders’ development and their own complexity and ability to navigate the tumultuous environment they are facing. I call this “The Leadership Deficit.” And, every organization that I have worked with a struggling with […]
Vertical Development: Elevating Our Complexity and Dynamism by Awakening to and Expanding our “Modes”

One of the first laws of vertical development for leaders is that as leaders become more vertically developed, they become more dynamic. In this article, I want to make this concept come to life. To do so, let me invite you to introspect for a moment: Over the last 24 hours, what modes have you […]
Do You Lead with Control or Do You Lead with Context?

On of the best leadership books that I have read is No Rules Rules by Reed Hoffman (Netflix CEO) and Erin Meyer. The book is about how Reed Hoffman has created a high-performance culture and organization (Note: the examples and figures in the post either come from or are inspired by No Rules Rules). In […]
Leader: You Think You Are Right, But You Are Probably Not as Right as You Think

There was a study of crew coaches (the rowing sport you have probably seen in the Olympics) that confirms several fundamental premises of vertical development: A leader’s vertical altitude dictates what they focus on and prioritize What feels right at one vertical altitude will feel wrong when we operate at a different vertical altitude Specifically, […]