Archive - Vertical Development: How Grown-ups Grow Up

On Pain, Powerlessness, Silence and the Choice to Voice

This is not my usual kind of post, but I feel a moral duty to write it. This is about the ease of convenient silence, the riskiness of speaking up and…

Aug 20 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

Hacking Narcissism

What if the most powerful developmental move is learning to sit with our shame? Listen to Dr. Nathalie Martinek inviting us to rethink narcissism, walk…

Aug 4 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

and

Nathalie Martinek PhD

1:20:07

July 2025

Cutting Through The Noise to Create Meaningful Learning

How do we find learning gems in an ocean of online content? How do we teach without adding to the noise? Here's what I've learnt from 15 years of…

Jul 25 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

Doodles for Development Episode 1: How Do Humans Grow?

If you don't have time for long articles, but still want to learn about vertical development, check out this new fun series of animated videos!

Jul 4 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

4:25

June 2025

Becoming Deliberately Developmental

Can organizations grow like people do? This episode takes you inside a bold experiment in rethinking power, leadership, and what it means to be truly…

Jun 3 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

and

Donna Trebilcock

1:04:13

May 2025

Democracy Is in Crisis. It Needs Human Development to Survive.

This past weekend, Romania gave the world a lesson in saving democracy from the imminent threat of fascism. Human maturity and wisdom played a crucial…

May 26 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

March 2025

Concept of Self

What is the self? Are you the same now as you were 20 years ago? Are you made of one thing or contain multiplicities? Are you your thoughts or have…

Mar 25 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

and

1:25:23

Powerlust: The Hollow Quest For A Pain-Free, Death-Free Life

Death, freedom, isolation and meaninglessnes are the four big existential fears of all humans. We have myriad ways of avoiding them and pursuing…

Mar 18 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

February 2025

To Fight Darkness, First You Need to Understand It

Outrage and rejection are natural responses in the face of greed, injustice and cruelty. But can we truly stand up for Good, without first understanding…

Feb 24 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

Is This an Age of Collective Madness or a Precipice of Growth?

If you've been felling like your news feed is more full of irrationality and outrageousness than before, you're not alone. Is the world going stark mad…

Feb 18 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

November 2024

Staring Over The Edge Into The Darkness And It's A Familiar Sight

When the world stops making sense, we instinctively look for the simple solutions. Someone to blame, an easy way out or a strong leader who will "fix…

Nov 7, 2024 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

Beyond Red and Blue: The U.S. Election as a Test of Adult Development

Whichever side you might be on, the imminent U.S. election is a choice between starkly different worldviews. What might vertical development teach us…

Nov 4, 2024 •

Alis Anagnostakis, PhD

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