Publicly Downloadable Resources
Leadership for a VUCA World — Part I
I often find myself reluctant to use the term “leadership”; the word has such a deeply “calcified” meaning frame, that to break free of the power of its legacy seems impossible. The moment one says the word “leadership”, a set of common-sense, culturally-defined, meanings are immediately activated.
In this article I want to propose a new way of thinking about and exercising leadership that is not bound by those meanings—to articulate a way of understanding leadership that is, I will assert, a better fit for the 21st century paradigm we find ourselves in. Toward this end, I will make two major moves.
I want to make a case that the primary work of leadership in a VUCA is to facilitate the emergence of human capability. Specifically, that human capability needed to respond to the current conditions and circumstantial challenges we all face, in ways that are at once generative, holistic, and systemically informed. Ultimately, this means that people come to be able to think and act with the complexity of mind needed to deal with the challenges and problems we face today.
This paper explores the nature of this new model of leadership, and what it takes to catalyze its emergence in today’s organizations.
An Introduction to the Art and Practice of Vertical Facilitation
In this white paper, we introduce key ideas and distinctions related to the growing of such inner capabilities, which we call Vertical Facilitation.
First, we want to speak to what we mean by “inner growth”, making a differentiation between vertical and horizontal growth, or learning.
Then, we dive into the unique qualities that characterize what vertical learning is, and, in particular, the necessarily transformative quality which such a manner of learning entails. It is our assertion if we are to grow our capacity for inner agility, we will need to get better at catalyzing vertical learning.
Finally, we provide a brief overview of one possible methodology for vertical facilitation and how might represent and model that methodology.
What is “Vertical Learning”: An Introduction
In this brief introductory paper, we describe what we mean by ‘vertical leaning’ and say a little bit about the mode of leaderful facilitation which we call “Vertical Facilitation”
First, we want to speak about what we mean by “inner agility” and “inner growth”, making a differentiation between vertical and horizontal growth, or learning.
Then, we dive into the unique qualities that characterize what vertical learning is, and, in particular, the necessarily transformative quality which such a manner of learning entails. It is our assertion if we are to grow our capacity for inner agility, we will need to get better at catalyzing vertical learning.
Start with this introductory paper if you want to dip your toe into the waters of vertical learning and facilitation, but aren’t quite ready to jump into the Vertical Facilitation Learning Journey (the first part of which is free).
Design for a New Kind of Leadership
This article envisions a new way of understanding the notion of “leadership” as a 21st century phenomenon.
In today’s world, we can no longer afford to consign the notion of leadership to that which happens solely at the “top”. Rather, we must envision leadership as an everywhere phenomenon. As one that happens whenever someone (or someones) is willing to take responsibility for their world, and is able to inspire others—not through coercion or even incentive—but through their ability activate new visions for possibility for, and with, others.
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