How Grown-Ups Grow Up: Exploring Vertical Development with Dr. Alis Anagnostaki

Welcome to today's leadership podcast episode, which marks the beginning of our exciting leadership interview series. In this series, we will be diving deep into the world of leadership by talking to leaders and specialists to shed light on the multifaceted concept of leadership.

Our first guest is none other than Dr. Alis Anagnostakis. Alis and I crossed paths in Spain and have collaborated on various projects throughout the years. Her expertise lies in the realm of Vertical Development, which essentially delves into how adults continue to "grow up" personally and professionally.

Here are some highlights from my conversation with Dr. Alis Anagnostakis:

1. Embracing Difficult Emotions: We discuss the power of embracing difficult emotions rather than suppressing them. Discover how curiosity can be the key to personal and professional growth.
2. "Growing Pains" in Adulthood: Alis shares a fascinating analogy involving her daughter's piano learning journey to explain the challenges and transformations that adults go through.
3. The Vertical Development Framework: Both Alis and I are certified in the Global Leadership Profile, and we explore how this framework can be a valuable tool in understanding and enhancing leadership capabilities.
4. Challenges for Expert-Level Leaders: We uncover the challenges that leaders at the Expert level may encounter when they personally do the work of their team (instead of leading the team).
5. A Personal Journey: I share a personal story of a life-altering event, my stroke, which became a defining moment in my leadership journey. We also delve into the science behind the emotional growth I experienced.
6. Overcoming Emotional Stuckness: how emotions can cloud our perspective, trapping us in a state of "stuckness," and discover strategies to navigate through such moments.

I hope you enjoy this enlightening and insightful first episode with Dr. Alis Anagnostakis. Stay tuned for more interviews with remarkable leaders and experts in the field of leadership.

If you’d like to explore your own level of Vertical Development, contact Alis or myself directly for leadership coaching and profile debriefs.

What's Vertical Development (and what's Horizontal Development)?

Horizontal development is about learning new skills, while Vertical Development is about evolving your mindset, consciousness, and ability to handle increasingly complex challenges. It's not just about what you know or do but also about how you think and who you are as a leader.

Vertical development is valuable because it enables leaders to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of leadership challenges and make more effective decisions in complex and uncertain environments. It's about personal and professional growth that goes beyond the surface and helps leaders become more adaptable, empathetic, and effective in their roles.

Links

• Delegation Playbook
• Leadership

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Kate