In our last blog we started our journey of differentiating learning from growing by introducing the stages of adult development. In this blog we unpack the impact of our stage of development on our leadership effectiveness and the collective culture we co-create.
As Bob Anderson and Bill Adams describe in their book Mastering Leadership:
“Your business will be structured and perform at the predominant level of consciousness of its leadership, through which all leadership, culture organisational structure, actions and creation are organised”. Level of consciousness -> Level of Leadership Effectiveness -> Level of Business Performance
Stage 3 - The Socialised Mind
As shared in the previous blog, at this stage of development, we learn and play by societal rules, constructing a life that best fits and works within these expectations.
Hence, leaders at this level are primarily shaped by external influences. Their thinking, beliefs and actions are heavily influenced by the messages and expectations of cultural influences, institutions and key individuals. There is a high need for external approval and validation, whether it be from someone they care about, someone in a position of authority or someone deemed an ‘expert’.
The gift at this stage of development is holding the collective needs of the group beyond our own needs, however we are defined from the outside-in. We define our identity, worth and security in one of 3 ways – through our strength of relationships, through our depth of intellect or through our ability to achieve results. The over extension and automated reliance on these strengths becomes our weakness:
· The more we are defined by others’ approval, the more likely we are to be risk-averse, indecisive and compliant.
· The more we are defined by our results, the less likely we are to delegate, collaborate or allow others to engage.
· The more we are defined by our intellect, the more we resist vulnerability, connecting with others and recognising their contribution.
Leaders operating at this level can become overwhelmed by complexity, when the “right next step” is not clear or there are competing perspectives. They can have difficulty expressing their own needs and views and tend to make decisions aligned with the status quo. And as Anderson and Adams highlight, the collective culture created at this level over values loyalty and obedience, conformity to norms and hierarchical decision making.
Stage 4 - The Self-Authoring Mind
When we operate at this stage of development we can step back from external influences and begin to create an independent internal framework of values, beliefs and strategies for ourselves. We shift our focus from external validation to internally guided decision making, shedding our limiting scripts, detaching from the strengths that brought us here, and gaining perspective on what is really important to us.
For leaders, this clearer sense of self allows them to navigate through conflicting external expectations, objectively analysing and evaluating the environment around them. Their leadership is oriented less on what they assumed was expected of them and more out of their personal purpose and vision. From this place leaders can hold more complexity, challenge social and cultural norms and consciously choose their approach in creating genuine change.
As Anderson and Adam’s research highlights, leaders operating from the Self-Authoring Mind stage of development create collective cultures that are engaging, innovative, visionary, creative, agile and adaptive. Power and leadership are shared, people are deeply involved in decisions that affects them and the focus is on high performance through collaboration and development.
Stage 5 - Self-Transforming Mind
At this higher stage of development, we appreciate the limits of our self-authored system and indeed the inherent limits of any single system or perspective. We recognise that any view, approach, or attitude alone can’t represent all truth.
Leaders at this stage can value their own lenses and at the same time hold them lightly; continually reviewing, questioning and updating their frames of reference as needed. They are better equipped to hold contradictions, constantly seeking to understand and integrate different perspectives. They tend to hold a whole system view, staying open to new possibilities as they lead and co-create holistic interventions with humility and compassion.
The cultures they co-create thrive through the genuine consideration of diverse views; the weakening of personal agendas; the appetite to let it go and reimagine; the courage to not jump into comforting quick answers or solutions.
With each evolution through the stages of development, much more becomes possible at the individual and collective level; greater capacity, greater capability, and mastery to meet complexity with greater effectiveness. Join us in our next blog as we explore how we can support ourselves and others to intentionally navigate this evolution.
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” Rumi
