Our Unique Line of Teaching Gives You Access to a
New World of Thinking and Listening!


Listen to December 15 teleseminar audio recording “On The Two IDM Coaching Programs, with an Emphasis on Participants with English as a Second Language”

 Become a developmental coach in 12-15 months

Users of the Constructive Developmental Framework the world over experience it every day, whether through teleclasses or during workshops presented by Otto Laske in their own country, — the CDF methodology taught at IDM challenges all traditional and conventional notions of coaching, consulting, leadership development, talent management, pedagogy, mediation, and psychotherapy. Although it often takes them years to find IDM (see the testimonials), once professionals find our classes and workshops, their entire professional life changes — toward a higher degree of self-insight, and consequently greater insight into clients as well as greater effectiveness in working with them.

Why should this be so?

The answer is simple!

IDM is at the forefront of institutions teaching new and profound findings about the human condition, by focusing on empirical research on adult development. These findings are social-emotional, cognitive, and psychological. Once it is understood that they have to be connected in listening and speaking to clients, one’s professional landscape changes from a flatland to a landscape with peaks and valleys in which clients can be transparently positioned. There is no magic to that, only an effort to identify and learn how adults actually develop over the life span and what this means for how they behave in the world.

OUR HISTORY

Since 2000, the Interdevelopmental Institute (IDM) has offered programs and stand-alone courses that teach professionals how to use findings of the adult-developmental sciences in their work with clients, whether clients are members of an organization or not. Coming from the field of philosophy and psychology, Otto Laske gathered, extended and refined research findings that have emerged since 1975, incorporating them in what he called the Constructive Developmental Framework (CDF).

CDF is an assessment methodology [diagonisticum] of great power and flexibility now internationally known and used which also contains DTF, the Dialectical Thought Form Framework. Putting the emphasis on helping students experience first-hand their own meaning-making and thinking, Laske has educated individuals from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Europe, North America, and South America who have carried the word about CDF into the world.

Dr. Otto Laske

HALLMARKS OF IDM TEACHING

From the beginning, it has been IDM’s goal to attract the best and the brightest in professions involving work with adults, whether it be consulting, leadership development, coaching, school- and university-oriented teaching, or psychotherapy. Many such individuals have come to IDM having experienced other offerings as insufficient, one-sided, biased, or simply as “lacking something”. In our view, this SOMETHING is directly related to the evidence based work — work based on empirical data — we are known for, rather than anything else.

But focusing on empirical evidence alone is not enough; rather, what has been missing in making use of adult-developmental research is a philosophical and at the same time scientific framework in which empirical findings can be seen in their relationship to each other, and can thus reinforce each other for the benefit of holistic and systemic insight into the human condition. While all theoretical frameworks are ultimately children of their time, it seems that CDF is presently the most comprehensive methodology for working effectively with adults.

This methodology has been published in the form of two thorough textbooks, both entitled “Measuring Hidden Dimensions” (2005, 2008). The title refers to the fact that the dimensions of adult development, as well as the psychoanalytic dimension that is joined to it in CDF, are experientially hidden from view, and can only conceptually be unearthed.

THE IDM NETWORK

In order to share our wealth of insight outside of course work, we have established a two-tiered network for corporate, academic, and individual clients based on annual memberships.

  • The Tier-1 network comprises students who want to remain connected to IDM research and teaching and need advice in using on an extended scale what they learned at IDM through case studies. Program One and Two graduates receive discounted memberships. They enjoy collaborative work agreements, continuing education services, as well as consultative advice.
  • The Tier-2 network is a two-way enterprise: we invite selected corporate and academic clients to share the theoretical and practical benefits we offer under shared copyright and risk management. In this network, we make available to clients tools developed at IDM, course materials, recorded classes, existing research papers as well as new research findings, and offer reduced participation fees for summer courses and IDM conferences. Those who join will be invited to partake in collaborations; they will be granted reduced licensing fees for making use of copyrighted IDM materials and tools, and are invited to submit proposals for joint work on behalf of corporate clients. Both network parties are bound by a contract for the sake of safeguarding intellectual property and use rights. Network membership can lead to consulting agreements, joint venture agreements, business operations agreements, vendor and professional services agreements, and franchising agreements. Members are encouraged to share their use experience of CDF and DTF tools.

ACADEMIC AFFILIATIONS

A particular form of Tier-2 affiliations are affiliations with universities worldwide. Such affiliations strive to disseminate a theoretical and working knowledge of CDF and DTF internationally among those academically educated. Such affiliations can take several forms:

  • IDM courses taught by Otto Laske, based on marketing and publicity efforts made by a specific University or University Department.
  • Licensing of IDM course materials (including recordings and articles) created by Otto Laske, for the sake of launching new academic ventures in which the academic partner joins forces with IDM in developing and delivering original courses geared to the needs of a specific target group.
  • IDM consultations focused on enabling an academic institution to foster an elite training group educated at IDM that can teach IDM methods and materials independently of IDM, based on an initial consulting and annual licensing fee.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING THE IDM NETWORK, WHETHER TIER 1 OR 2, PLEASE WRITE TO Otto Laske, at otto@interdevelopmentals.org, or call 978.879.4882.

OUR CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS

CDF is based on clearly distinguished as well as intrinsically related modules referred to as Module G, A, B, C, Prep-D, and D. These five modules convey all there is to know about CDF.

Specifically, these modules concern:

  1. G = Gateway: Introductory overview showing the essence and relationship of all CDF modules, a wakeup-call for all those not yet thinking developmentally
  2. A = Module A: Introduction to social-emotional meaning-making, developmental listening and scoring
  3. B = Module B: Introduction to cognitive sense-making, cognitive listening and scoring
  4. C = Module C: Introduction to the Need/Press Questionnaire (www.needpress.com) eliciting insight into a clients psychological profile, specifically self conduct, approach to tasks, and emotional intelligence
  5. Prep-D = Module Preparation for D: Rehearsal of cognitive and social-emotional interviewing of clients following a semi-structured protocol
  6. D = Module D: Preparation and writing of a case study on a single (Program One) or three additional (Program Two) clients, which is submitted to the IDM Director of Education for evaluation and approval, and issues in IDM Certification.

TYPES OF IDM CERTIFICATION

IDM offers an international student body three different kinds of certification. Their difference is defined by (1) how many of the modules described above are engaged with, and (2) by how many case studies the CDF methodology is applied to.

1. Assessment Certification

In this line of certification, students complete all of the modules stated above (G, A, B, C, Prep-D) and then engage with a case study on a single client in Module D (Program One). In order to solidify their practical knowledge of CDF, they can write three further case studies in Program Two. They can also take Program Two “in passing” in order to write a dissertation using CDF under the auspices of an academic study department of their choice [Program One: 68, Program Two: 84 CEUs].
See /assessment-certification.php

2. Evidence-Based Coaching Certification

In this line of certification, students choose between Modules A, B, and C, in order to focus on the chosen module in preparing and writing a case study in Module D. See /pp-evidence-based-coaching-program.php [42 CEUs] They are welcome in Program Two.

3. Dialectical Thinking Certification (DTF Program)

In this line of certification, students choose a focus on dialectical thinking by choosing Module B; subsequently, they engage in intense rehearsal of dialectical thinking in an action learning environment (step 2), and finally take a concluding course featuring dialectical thinking in a specific knowledge domain such as leadership development, coaching, psychotherapy, mediation, or other (step 3). See /pp-DTF-certification-program.php. [44 CEUs]

Get to Know IDM

Our quarterly newsletter Hidden Dimensions Insights contains in-depth articles on the latest findings in adult development, our own research, as well as the updated course schedule and schedule of international activities of the Institute (seminars, conferences).
click for IDM home page