Vertical Development

When we talk about development, we often refer to learning new skills or acquiring new knowledge. This is the focus of much training, learning and development activity, and is sometimes referred to as “horizontal development” - increasing our breadth of knowledge and ability.

There is a complementary concept of vertical development, which refers to increasing capacity, depth and complexity in the way we make sense of the world - increasing our depth of engagement with the world and the people around us. Much of my work with my clients touches on vertical development in one way or another.

My introduction to vertical development remains my favourite article the subject: The Seven Transformations of Leadership

Here’s an interesting video of Bob Kegan, one of the leading thinkers on vertical development.

And the book Reinventing Organisations applies the concept beyond individuals to the way organisations work (I’d particularly recommend the illustrated version)