Vertically Developmental Coaching
Vertically Developmental Coaching
I've been thinking about
Dave Snowden's work on the relationship between narrative and learning networks - and the systemic attributes of identity management, trust negotiation and productive conflict. His metaphor of 'Bramble bushes in a thicket' is remarkably helpful - not only in this context but in several others. Not least when considering the interpenetrative relationship between developmental capacities, capabilities and practices as they work together to expand our understanding of ourselves, our contexts and the much wider systems to which these contexts are connected
And as a coach, I'm fascinated by how we can, in a non directive or agenda stealing manner, introduce our clients to the 'thicket' in a way that facilitates an understanding of how they might allow their vertical development to happen in a non linear manner that neither diminishes what is nor exalts what might become.
All the time feeling safe enough to experiment, safe enough to fail, and safe enough to try again.
If Vertically Developmental Coaching is to offer anything of value to the field I think it might be the ability to conceptualise and work within this thicket of expanding developmental capacity, capabilities & practices. And to help our clients do the same. But it's not an easy place to come to, as firstly we need to do the work with ourselves. And mostly this involves opening ourselves up to understanding the perspectives of others.
Which is why we offer the Diploma mentioned below. An academic year spent in exploring the thicket and from time to time discovering and tasting a blackberry!
If you're interested in finding our more, why not give one of us at
Harthill Consulting Ltd a shout.
Ian Mitchell
#coaching
#coachdevelopment
#deliberatelydevelopmental
#expansion
#awarenessmatters
