The Impact of Vertical Development on Organizations

Ryan Gottfredson Workshops

A few weeks ago, I surveyed my newsletter subscribers and asked them what they would like to see me write about. A common theme from the responses was that they wanted to learn more about my business and the impact that it is having on the leaders and organizations that I work with. So, over […]

The Difference Between Great and Bad Leaders is Smaller than I Thought

business men balance on seesaw

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 […]

Doing The Work of Vertical Development

businesswoman drawing on virtual screen

In this video, The Four Benchmarks to Gauge the Vertical Altitude of Leaders and Executives, I discuss: How I have coached over 200 leaders to help them vertically development, and Roughly 80% of them never “do the work” of vertical development At a high level, my coaching process involves: Helping leaders understand what vertical development […]

To What Degree Do You Know Your Ego Driver?

brick wall under spotlight

In my last article, “We Each Have an Ego Driver,” I suggested: We each have an Ego Driver connected to our quick-thinking brain that is prone to direct our thinking and behaviors For most people, our Ego Driver operates below the level of our consciousness (most people don’t know they have an Ego Driver and […]

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: […]

An Undervalued Key to Effective Leadership: Possessing a Willingness for Reinvention

Fill in the blank: I want to be a successful/effective/loving ____________________. I imagine that your ‘blank’ was filled with “leader,” “spouse,” “parent,” “manager,” “employee,” “teacher,” or something similar. I want to propose an idea to you: Your ability to become truly successful/effective/loving is contingent on your willingness to reinvent yourself. I am not talking about […]