Vertical Development

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
– Albert Einstein

How do we develop overwhelmed and overmatched leaders to succeed in today’s complex, dispersed, and uncertain workplace?

Even the best leaders can’t solve a problem that they don’t see, nor can they conceive opportunities that are beyond their perception. Vertical development addresses the reality that many leaders can’t “make sense” of the problems they face in today’s workplace.

Traditional leadership development, known as horizontal development, refers to adding new knowledge and skills which can lead to deeper expertise. While important, traditional development was shaped in a more static and predictable time. Today’s rapidly evolving environment, however, demands not just deeper expertise, but a fundamental shift in how a leader sees the world. Horizontal development by itself often equips leaders for a workplace that no longer exists.

In contrast, vertical development advances leaders through well-researched and established stages of development. With each sequential stage, the leader expands their thinking capability, range of perception, and ability to handle more challenging and complex problems. With these expansions come greater adaptability, increased creativity, enhanced collaboration, and heightened confidence. Additionally, a leader’s newfound capacity for complexity can allow them to think in more sophisticated ways, systemically, with a longer-term range of vision. These are the capabilities required to get results in today’s complex, dispersed, and uncertain workplace.