Based on the CCL article and Kegan videos, post reactions to the four conditions for vertical development and the three-stage development process described by McGuire and Rhodes (CCL article). Keep your response to less than 300 words.

The theory of vertical development resonates with me because it is something I experience in my own life and professional career. I find myself feeling frustrated by challenges and situations that I care deeply about. I often feel limited in my thinking until I process the thoughts with the support system around me, personally and professionally (N. Petrie, p. 14). Kegan’s video on Immunity to Change was one of the best I’ve seen, but I think it’s a lot easier to understand why you’re immune to changing when someone is leading you through the conversation. It doesn’t seem likely that someone could easily figure this out on their own otherwise they would have already done so. That said the example Kegan used of the man not taking the medication was an important perspective. If the man isn’t taking the pills knowing it will save his life, then there must be a greater underlying issue. This is the first time I’m learning about vertical development in the academic sense. McGuire and Rhodes’ three-stage process is familiar because it’s dealing with change, and that’s what we’ve been studying throughout this degree program. I’m starting to better understand how the cognitive process of behavior change works, but it’s even more interesting to understand how it’s applied within leadership development.

Review Reams’(2009) comments on Kegan & Lehay’s Chapters 2 (p. 172) and 10 (p. 175). Then try to complete a behavior change map using the model on p. 32 of the CCL article. Identify a behavior that you are highly motivated to change, then complete the map. Note: Keep this behavior in mind for possible use in the upcoming feed-forward activity.

 

 Write a paragraph explaining your assessment of what it was like to use this tool, any key learnings you gained from it and any actions you will take because of it.

 Working through this assessment I found myself fumbling between column 3 and column 4 and understanding the difference between them. We start off in column with solid intentions and then by the time we get to column 3 we start to realize all the excuses we make in our minds about why we can’t do something. I had a friend once who used to say all the time that can’t means won’t. We can always do something and if it’s important enough to us we will. We need to dig a little deeper and think through why we won’t do something to change our perspective. I’ve got a lot in column 3 that I need to work through.

Citations:

Petrie, N. (2014) Center for Creative Leadership whitepaper, “Future Trends in Leadership Development”