Expanding Capacity, Not Just Adding Skills
Not all leadership development is the same.
Most programs focus on horizontal development — expanding what you know and what you can do. This is essential. But in today’s complex world, it’s no longer enough.
Vertical development is about something deeper. It changes how you see the world, how you make decisions, and how you respond under pressure. It expands your inner capacity to lead — not just your toolkit.
What’s the Difference?
🧭 Horizontal Development:
What you know
Builds skills, expands knowledge, and improves functional competence.
Think: learning how to run a better meeting, give better feedback, or manage a new system.
🌀 Vertical Development:
How you make meaning
Shifts worldview, mindset, and identity. It enhances your ability to lead through complexity, ambiguity, and change.
Think: growing your capacity to stay grounded in conflict, hold multiple perspectives, or lead with clarity amidst uncertainty.
How Vertical Development Shows Up in Leaders
Leaders engaged in vertical development often experience shifts in:
✔ Mindset – New ways of approaching and solving problems
✔ Beliefs – Evolving values and internal motivations
✔ Perspective – Broader appreciation of differing viewpoints
✔ Cognition – Greater mental complexity and strategic depth
✔ Ethics and Community – Heightened focus on sustainability and shared value
✔ Emotional Resilience – Increased self-awareness and grounded presence
Why This Matters
When leaders invest in both horizontal and vertical development, they unlock a powerful combination: the skills to perform and the capacity to adapt.
Benefits include:
✔ Greater adaptability in the face of change
✔ Confidence in navigating complexity and uncertainty
✔ More ethical, long-term decision-making
✔ Heightened awareness of system-wide impacts
✔ Deepened leadership presence and influence
The Cup Metaphor
Think of your current leadership capacity as a cup.
- Horizontal development fills the cup — adding new skills and knowledge.
- Vertical development enlarges the cup — increasing your capacity to hold uncertainty, complexity, and responsibility.
Both are valuable. But it’s the enlarging of the cup that enables transformation.
Ready to Grow?
Our coaching approach supports leaders to grow from the inside out.
We combine practical skills with deep developmental insight — helping you not just do more, but become more of the leader your context calls for.
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Two Percent Shift 