What I am going to present in this article is perhaps the clearest way to articulate (1) what vertical development is and (2) the value and importance of vertical development.
To lay the foundation for these two points, we need to recognize that people have two sides to themselves.
Two Sides of Ourselves
We all have a DOING SIDE, which represents our knowledge, skills, talents, and abilities. The more knowledge, skills, talents, and abilities we have, the more we can do.
We also have a BEING SIDE, which represents our character, mindsets, and psyche. The better our character, mindsets, and psyche, the better we can do.
Understanding that we have these two sides of ourselves helps illuminate some key ideas (numbers correspond with the numbers in the figure):
- The majority of leaders are more proficient with their DOING SIDE than their BEING SIDE
- Almost all development efforts (educational system, athletic programming, organizational and leadership development) focus almost solely on the DOING SIDE
- Most issues in positions of leadership (e.g., leadership, management, parenting) are the result of BEING SIDE deficiencies
- The key to developing exceptional leadership (and management and parenting) is to elevate on our BEING SIDE
How Do We Help People Elevate Along Their BEING SIDE?
There are types of development: horizontal and vertical development.
Horizontal development efforts are focused on one’s DOING SIDE. They are efforts designed to improve one’s knowledge, skills, talents, and abilities. Think most college classes. A person takes a college class to gain knowledge, skills, talents, and abilities in that particular course. But, a college class generally does not improve one’s character, mindsets, or psyche. A college class does not improve one’s ability to effectively withstand and navigate stress, pressure, uncertainty, and complexity.
Vertical development efforts are focused on one’s BEING SIDE. They are efforts designed to improve one’s character, mindsets, and psyche.
The benefits of vertical development include:
- Helping people elevate in their mental maturity, moving from dependent thinkers to independent thinkers to interdependent thinkers
- Helping people upgrade their body’s internal operating system such that they have a wider window of tolerance, and are thus more capable of navigating stress, pressure, uncertainty, and complexity
- Helping people rise above their self-protective fears and limiting beliefs so that they have operate in a manner that allows them to create more value for others
- The higher one is on their BEING SIDE, the more they will get out of their DOING SIDE
Consider James, a leader who commonly micromanages his employees.
I could send James to horizontal development trainings on how to empower employees, and James can learn the steps to empower employees. But, that generally is not enough to get James to stop micromanaging.
The reason why James micromanages is because he has a (1) deep internal belief that his people aren’t capable of doing the work right and (2) a fear that if he doesn’t micromanage, the work won’t get done right.
A horizontal development training on empowerment won’t get rid of his belief or help him rise above his fear.
The only way for James to change his belief and rise above his fear is through vertical development.
If I were working with James, I would:
- Explain the difference between our DOING SIDE and our BEING SIDE and explain that our efforts are going to focus on his BEING SIDE
- Engage in vertical development exercises to help him awaken to his limiting belief and self-protective fear
- Craft a personal vertical development plan designed to (1) push against his limiting beliefs and self-protective fear, and (2) elevate his mindsets and upgrade his internal operating system (which includes widening his window of tolerance)
- Hold him accountable to this plan and ensure elevation is occurring
Ryan Gottfredson’s Unique Value Proposition
I believe the best way to explain what I do and the value I bring to organizations and leaders is best articulated through this perspective.
I help leaders elevate along their BEING SIDE via vertical development so that they:
- Become more interdependent and strategic thinkers
- Become more capable of effectively navigating stress, pressure, uncertainty, and complexity
- Rise above their limiting beliefs and self-protective fears so that they can be greater value creators
- Get more out of their DOING SIDE knowledge, skills, talents, and abilities
If you want to bring more BEING SIDE development efforts into your organization, let’s connect.
Katika makala hii, tutaelezea kwa njia ya wazi zaidi (1) nini maendeleo ya wima ni na (2) thamani na umuhimu wa maendeleo ya wima. Ili kuweka msingi wa mambo haya mawili, tunahitaji kutambua kwamba watu wana pande mbili. Sehemu ya 2 ya Uwezo wa Mtu - Sehemu ya 2 ya Uwezo wa Mtu ni sehemu ya Uwezo wa Mtu, ambayo inawakilisha ujuzi, ujuzi, vipaji, na uwezo wake. Kadiri tunavyojua, ujuzi, vipawa, na uwezo, ndivyo tunavyoweza kufanya mengi zaidi. Pia tuna upande wa KIWA, ambao huwakilisha tabia yetu, mawazo, na akili. Kadiri tabia yetu, mawazo yetu, na akili yetu ilivyo bora, ndivyo tunavyoweza kufanya vizuri zaidi. Kuelewa kwamba tuna pande hizi mbili za sisi wenyewe husaidia kuangaza baadhi ya mawazo muhimu (nambari zinazolingana na nambari katika takwimu): - Wengi wa viongozi ni zaidi ya ustadi na Pande yao ya Kufanya kuliko Pande yao ya Kuwa - Karibu juhudi zote za maendeleo (mfumo wa elimu, programu ya michezo, maendeleo ya shirika na uongozi) huzingatia karibu tu Pande ya Kufanya - Masuala mengi katika nafasi za uongozi (kwa mfano, uongozi, usimamizi, uzazi) ni matokeo ya upungufu wa Pande ya Kuwa. Kuna aina ya maendeleo: maendeleo ya usawa na wima. Jitihada za maendeleo ya usawa ni ililenga juu ya mtu's DOING SIDE. Ni jitihada zilizokusudiwa kuboresha ujuzi, ustadi, vipawa, na uwezo wa mtu. Fikiria madarasa mengi ya chuo kikuu. Mtu huchukua darasa la chuo kikuu ili kupata ujuzi, ustadi, vipawa, na uwezo katika kozi hiyo hususa. Lakini, kwa ujumla, masomo ya chuo kikuu hayaboresha tabia, mawazo, au akili ya mtu. Darasa la chuo kikuu haliboresha uwezo wa mtu wa kukabiliana na kusafiri kwa ufanisi na mkazo, shinikizo, kutokuwa na uhakika, na utata. Jitihada za maendeleo ya wima ni ililenga juu ya mtu's kuwa upande. Ni jitihada zilizokusudiwa kuboresha tabia, mawazo, na akili ya mtu. """Kusaidia watu kuongeza ukomavu wao wa akili, kuhamia kutoka kwa wasomi wa kujitegemea hadi wasomi wa kujitegemea, kusaidia watu kuboresha mfumo wa uendeshaji wa ndani wa mwili wao ili wawe na dirisha pana la uvumilivu, na hivyo wawe na uwezo zaidi wa kusafiri, shinikizo, kutokuwa na uhakika, na utata, kusaidia watu kuinuka juu ya hofu zao za kujilinda na kupanua imani ili waweze kufanya kazi kwa njia inayowaruhusu kuunda thamani zaidi kwa wengine." James anafundisha mafunzo ya maendeleo ya usawa kwa wafanyikazi wake na anajifunza hatua za kuwawezesha. Lakini, kwa ujumla hiyo haitoshi kumfanya James aache usimamizi mdogo. Sababu ya James micromanages ni kwa sababu ana (1) imani ya ndani ya kina kwamba watu wake hawawezi kufanya kazi haki na (2) hofu kwamba kama yeye haifanyi micromanage, kazi si kupata kufanyika haki. Mafunzo ya maendeleo ya usawa juu ya kuwezesha hayatamtoa imani yake au kumsaidia kuinuka juu ya hofu yake. Njia pekee kwa James kubadilisha imani yake na kuongezeka juu ya hofu yake ni kupitia maendeleo ya wima. "Kama mimi alikuwa akifanya kazi na James, ningependa: kueleza tofauti kati ya sisi kufanya na sisi kuwa upande na kueleza kwamba juhudi zetu ni kwenda kuzingatia upande wake kuwa upande; kushiriki katika mazoezi ya maendeleo ya wima kusaidia yeye kuamka kwa imani yake ya kupunguza na hofu ya kujilinda; kuunda mpango wa maendeleo ya wima binafsi iliyoundwa kwa ajili ya (1) kushinikiza dhidi ya imani yake ya kupunguza na hofu ya kujilinda; na (2) kuongeza mawazo yake na kuboresha mfumo wake wa uendeshaji wa ndani (ambayo ni pamoja na kupanua dirisha yake ya uvumilivu); kumweka kuwajibika kwa mpango huu na kuhakikisha elevation ni kutokea.""" """Ninawasaidia viongozi kuendeleza upande wao wa kuwa kupitia maendeleo ya wima ili waweze kuwa na mawazo ya kimkakati na ya kutegemea zaidi, kuwa na uwezo zaidi wa kuendesha kwa ufanisi shinikizo, shinikizo, kutokuwa na uhakika, na utata, kuinuka juu ya imani zao zinazozuiwa na hofu za kujilinda ili waweze kuwa waundaji wa thamani zaidi, kupata zaidi kutoka kwa maarifa, ujuzi, vipaji na uwezo wao wa kufanya."