What are ‘horizontal development’ and ‘vertical development’?

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What's the big idea?

You may have heard the terms ‘horizontal’ or ‘vertical development’ used and wondered what the distinction between them is and also the relationship of integral coaching to them.

What’s a core distinction/tension here?

Horizontal Development focuses on adding new skills, knowledge, and competencies—essentially increasing what you know or what you can do. It’s focused on developing external capabilities, usually tied to specific tasks or roles.

Examples:

• Learning how to use a new software program.

• Attending a workshop on project management techniques.

• Gaining technical or domain-specific certifications.

  
  

Vertical Development focuses on transforming the way you think, perceive, and understand—enhancing how you think, not just what you know. The focus here is on internal growth, such as mindset, worldview, and cognitive or emotional complexity.

Examples:

• Developing emotional intelligence to lead more effectively.

• Shifting from a self-centered perspective to a more systemic or collaborative viewpoint.

• Cultivating a growth mindset to embrace challenges and uncertainties.

The limitation of horizontal development alone is that, while it broadens your abilities, it doesn't necessarily change how you think, make decisions, or approach challenges. It’s about doing more of the same thing, but better.

Vertical development enables deeper, more adaptive thinking, allowing you to handle greater complexity and ambiguity. It’s about becoming a more evolved version of yourself.

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