Facilitating Development
I’ve worked as a development facilitator for many years now but to say its work is to lie, its such a rewarding endeavour. Knowing that everyone has a capacity to develop creates the excitement and when people sign-up for a developmental intervention its a privilege to be invited to accompany them on their journey.
Most people think of development as learning something new and that is indeed a very valuable form of development, known nowadays as ‘horizontal development’. When we engage in ‘horizontal development’ we learn new things and if we apply the learning in practice we develop new skill, which is very rewarding. The form of development I am most excited by is known as ‘vertical development’ which may require learning something new but also requires a change in perspective, a new way of thinking, a new way of relating to yourself and others and a new way of being in the systems in which you live and work.
The field of vertical development is fascinating and to work in the field is endlessly interesting and enjoyable. With the advent of AI I expect the field to expand significantly as the drive to learn more stuff (horizontal development) diminishes.
So how does vertical development happen? The catalyst differs for each individual. Our vertical development sees us broaden and build on how we are, what we know, what we attend to and how we ‘make meaning’. The idea that we each make meaning and that we each do it differently is not commonly known or understood. Constructivist development psychology shows how we each make meaning differently based on our past experience, our current knowledge base, our current circumstances and the faculties we have developed to process our experiences moment to moment.
Learning about all of this raises awareness and can help to support us on the journey of our vertical development if we choose to engage with it and be proactive. Another way in which our vertical development can be stimulated is through life experience, usually challenging life experiences that disrupt what we thought we knew and what we believed in.
Whether you choose to engage with your vertical development or life has made that choice for you it is an interesting domain to dabble in. We are wired for growth beyond our current level of development and while it might be challenging and uncomfortable it is very rewarding.
