Testimonials
Ich weiß nicht, inwieweit Sie mit der systemischen Therapie vertraut sind. Für mich ist sie die Arbeitsgrundlage in den Beratungen mit den Eltern der Kinder, die in den Gruppen leben, für die ich zuständig bin. Manchmal gibt es da Situationen, in denen ich merke, jetzt passiert etwas. Sequenzen, in denen es kribbelt, Ruhe und Bewegung gleichermaßen da sind. Und dann, wenn dieser Moment vorbei ist, scheint es mir, als wäre alles anders. Das, was da geschieht, ist das, wofür ich arbeite. Das Erleben dieser Momente trägt mich durch alle schwierigen Situationen und auch die unliebsameren Arbeitsaufgaben hinweg, gibt mir Erfüllung und meinem Tun den Sinn. Ich weiß nicht, ob ich das so beschreiben kann, dass es für Sie nachvollziehbar ist. Es ist die Entwicklung, an der ich teilhaben darf. Dies macht mir meine Arbeit so kostbar und das weiß ich jetzt.
In der systemischen Therapie geht es um genau die Bereiche, die Sie erklärt und beschrieben haben. Es geht um Statisches, Relation, Prozess, Transzendenz. Sicher ist Ihnen das bekannt. Es gibt da viele Fragen zu dem, was die Beziehungen ausmachen, wie es jemanden geht in einem bestimmten Kontext, wie sich dieser darstellt, es geht um das Beschreiben eingefrorener Momente und darum, wie diese in Bewegung gebracht werden können, um das Verflüssigen dessen, das Finden von Übergängen. Ganz viel, was auszuführen ich Ihnen jetzt ersparen möchte. Mir ist in einer Ihrer Beschreibungen zur Transzendenz bewusst geworden, dass Sie genau dazu forschen. Ich hab die Verbindung gesehen zu dem, was ich tue. Ich frage in den Beratungen danach, wer jemand sein möchte, bin bestrebt, Impulse zu geben für Selbstkonstruktion, möchte dabei ein wenig behilflich sein, diese auf den Weg zu bringen, sich in diese hinein zu entwickeln. Das zu erkennen, zu verstehen, was da passiert, war mir sehr, sehr viel. In diesem Erkennen ist soviel passiert mit mir und dafür wollte ich mich in der Abschlussrunde bedanken, ohne dies schon so sagen zu können. Deshalb möchte ich das hiermit tun. Wissen Sie, es geht im Systemischen oft um kognitive Impulse. In dem Bereich, in dem ich ausgebildet bin, hat sich der Begründer auf Wittgenstein bezogen, von ihm gelernt. Oftmals wird diese Therapieform als oberflächlich bezeichnet, weil sie mit Kognitivem arbeitet, weniger mit dem Fokus auf der jeweiligen Emotion. Dass sie dies in keiner Weise ist, erlebe ich tagtäglich, konnte es aber bisher nie erklären, sondern lediglich die Effekte beschreiben. In meiner Ausbildungszeit habe ich die Lehrtherapeuten danach gefragt, was da passiert in den Beratungen, wodurch die Entwicklung in Gang gesetzt wird. Ich habe in diesen Zusammenhängen viele gute Gespräche geführt, die mich weitergebracht haben in meiner Arbeit, in meinem Tun, habe Buchempfehlungen bekommen von Büchern, die mich bereichert haben, in denen es letztendlich aber doch nur um Evaluation ging. Aber dass die Methode funktioniert, hatte ich ja erlebt.. Das wusste ich bereits. Was Sie mir in diesen Tagen gegeben haben, ist das, wonach ich die Suche schon aufgegeben hatte. Eine Erklärung für das, was da vor sich geht. Sozialemotionale Entwicklung durch kognitive Entwicklung. Ich bin Ihnen sehr dankbar dafür! Ich kann die Bedeutung dieser Erkenntnis für mein Leben und Arbeiten kaum deutlich machen. Ich weiß jetzt, was ich tue und habe dadurch die Möglichkeit zum bewussten Einsetzen dessen bekommen. Dieses Gefühl macht mich rund und zufrieden. Das, was ich durch Sie beginne zu lernen, wird meinen Klientinnen und Klienten zu Gute kommen.
Die Erkenntnis, dass ich bisher darüber gar keine Informationen bekommen konnte, weil es diese noch gar nicht gab, das Bewusstwerden, dass Sie derjenige sind, der dies erforscht hat, dringt langsam zu mir durch. Ich weiß nicht, wie das weiterwirken wird in mir. Was ich spüre, ist, dass ich die Größe dessen noch nicht erfassen kann. Und doch fühle ich mich dadurch schon jetzt geehrt. Das Geschenk, für einen klitzekleinen Moment in der Nähe eines Menschen gewesen zu sein, der uns allen hier auf dieser Erde eine für unser Sein wesentliche Erkenntnis gibt. Ich danke Ihnen zutiefst, Herr Laske, dass Sie bei uns im Elisabethstift gewesen sind.
Heike Schneider
Bereichsleiter, Elisabethstift Berlin, Germany
TESTIMONIAL REGARDING CDF AND COACHING
The path on which I found Otto Laske’s Constructive Developmental Framework (CDF) was a long and circuitous one. When I did the masters degree in the psychology of coaching at Sydney University, I came across a reference to his work. (USyd does not teach any of Otto's material at all but does touch briefly on Robert Kegan’s work). This happened shortly after I had done the SOI (Subject Objective Interview) workshop run by Jennifer Garvey Berger for USCMA, which had opened the gate to what I was looking for. (Incidentally, I wish now that I had had volume 1 of Laske’s Measuring Hidden Dimensions (2005) when I did the SOI workshop — it is the ideal text for it). Once I looked up the web references to Otto and read his articles I immediately knew I was really on to something. Everything exceeded my expectations, and I have truly discovered what coaching can be. I can testify that taking IDM Programs I and II and reading Otto’s books and papers was a profound experience. I had long been seeking something better than I had encountered until then that felt "right' insofar as what I thought executive coaching should be.
I learn best from the written word but the online IDM seminars by phone were very productive for me, especially since I was part of a cohort. His two books did the most for me and a few months ago I completed the editing of the second edition of Volume One. Each volume deals with different aspects — the first, the social-emotional aspect, and the second, the cognitive aspect of coaching. In my view, no other writer or lecturer has even a passing familiarity with the concept that though inseparable, they need to be studied separately. In fact, it hasn't occurred to anyone other than Otto that this split plus dialectics is the key. Kegan merely articulated the stages of social emotional development over the lifespan (the “what") without attempting to discuss the "how", i.e., how adult development actually occurs. Otto's brilliant combining of Elliott Jaques "requisite organization" precepts with the above, plus the Need/Press Questionnaire which concerns psychological workplace behavior, covers everything all other coach trainings leave out because they haven't done anything like Otto’s really in-depth thinking, in my view.
My own experience with coaching instruction and coaching schools has been mostly disappointing. I had done the Institute of Executive Coaching (Australia) 3 levels of courses but actually found some books that taught me more. I then did Zeus & Skiffington's master executive coaching course, following which I decided I needed more than these short courses. I went to USyd and the masters degree I obtained there really only served to tantalize me more as still I still its emphasis not a good fit with what I thought executive coaching could and should be. But it was all fuel for the fire that was building within me that there had to be something better, and through it the path I was on eventually led me to Otto.
It’s important to realize that Otto’s work has far greater applicability than just to coaching. Also, once you have done the IDM programs, what you learned permeates every aspect of your life. To me it also had the effect of exposing most coaching as "not-coaching" (i.e., more like training), and definitely as an industry rather than a profession. The reluctance of coaches I know to embrace Otto's work — simply because it requires study and brainwork over an extended period — astounds me. In the long term that will be an advantage for the likes of me and all those who study at IDM.
Alan Snow, Executive Coach
Sydney, Australia
“Das Abschlussgespräch hat mich in meiner Meinung noch einmal ausdrücklich bestärkt, dass ich das CDF Coaching Assessment für ein äußerst nützliches Instrument auch für Führungskräfte im schulischen Bereich erachte. Das daraus entwickelte differenzierte Persönlichkeitsprofil ist aus meiner Sicht sehr aussagekräftig und hilfreich, mich in meiner Funktion als Leiter einer großen Schule oder Organisation über mich selbst zu vergewissern. Es war zum Teil verblüffend, gelegentlich erschreckend, wie genau man sich in den Aussagen - in den beschriebenen Stärken wie in den Schwächen und in den Entwicklungspotenzialen - wiedergefunden und -erkannt hat. Die Außensicht auf die eigene Persönlichkeit ist hilfreich, gerade auch latent Bewusstes oder Vermutetes nach außen zu kehren, um sich damit auseinanderzusetzen.
“Als wertvoll habe ich auch die differenzierte Analyse empfunden, in der zunächst der Entwicklungsstand in sozial-emotionaler und in kognitiver Ausprägung abgebildet wurde. Sie hat deutlich gemacht, dass die Persönlichkeit eines Menschen das Ergebnis eines über viele Jahre dauernden Prozesses ist. Gleiches gilt für das psychologische Verhaltensprofil, dem ich nützliche Rückschlüsse verdanke auf die Art und Weise, wie ich meine Tätigkeit ausübe und mit Mitarbeitern, aber auch mit Vorgesetzten, umgehe. Das abschließend abgeleitete Entwicklungspotenzial war ebenfalls für mich schlüssig und hat in meinem Fall die mir bereits bekannte Einsicht bestätigt, dass manche wünschenwerte Weiterentwicklung nur in einem anderen beruflichen oder privaten Kontext möglich ist.”
Clemens Schöpker, Principal, Berlin, Germany
Assessed and coached by Pia Neiwert, Berlin
“I'd like first of all to say that the content of IDM courses - both your two volumes and the extra class materials - as well as your teaching, was of exceptional quality. Other academic courses I have taken in psychology cannot rival your course offering.
“In addition, I would emphasize how much I have gained from your work, your vision and your teachings. They have greatly deepened and broadened my overall understanding of stages and phases of development and will stand me in good stead for any future work I may do with constructive developmental psychology.
“Regarding Program One, I found module A to be extremely practical and making Kegan's work and stages very clear and workable. That alone, for someone wishing to do developmental coaching and assessment, is extremely valuable. And module B was fascinating, by far the most interesting for me, and that is clearly your major contribution - together with separating social-emotional stages from cognitive stages and then bringing them together with the horizontal dimension of personality in Module C. Perhaps it would be possible to make C less work-oriented and include the Enneagram?
“So, there is little to say on improving the modules as I think your whole CDF approach is a great improvement over what is “out there”. Thank you so much for your patient, clear, engaged and respectful guidance throughout the 3 modules as well as for the depth and breadth of your work.”
Paul Marshall
Well-Being Expert and Researcher, UK
“The most important influence I have felt from studying the CDF methodology occurred in my way of listening to clients. Having a model of developmental levels in mind during coaching sessions increases my attention and focus, as well as my capacity to stand in other people’s shoes, and enables me to do so with the least judgment possible. In addition, I am gaining a high level of awareness of the inter-subjectivity of coaching where both coach and client are in flow with each other and mentally grow together.”
Alexandra Lemos
Mind Coach,
Porto, Portugal
“The Gateway experience actually brings more than just new concepts to me — I feel you have aligned / gathered / sorted / expanded / languaged many of my thoughts and concepts and are catapulting me forward in my thinking! Delightful experience!
“I passed on one of your papers to a client (Business Leadership for an Evolving Planet: The Need for Transformational Thinking in Intercultural and International Environments). I am pursuing the opportunity to work with his organisation in a cross-international-culture coaching role and the first thing he said in our meeting yesterday was 'We know we have an issue, we don't know what it is. We think a lot of it is around the fact that they think differently, and we don't know where to start.' I was so incredibly excited to have the concepts you teach in my mind and your paper in my hand!
“Now I need to get up to speed faster. Listening to your mp3s is like coming home. I have a business and coaching background, and have pondered so many of the concepts I have come across so far. The concepts make so much sense to me. It is wonderful to see the research bringing my understanding to life — giving weight to what I sensed to be true and see the data proving the points. Even though I am only signed up yesterday, I have devoured the first slide presentation, have downloaded the audio so I can listen on my Ipod and am itching to continue!
“Overall, there seems to be an underlay of non-duality — I haven't got far enough to find more, but this is extremely exciting for me — to find a process that can be used in the corporate world using this is just what I was looking for!”
Diane Hewat
Management consultant and coach,
Australia
Learn about The IDM Difference — IDM Newsletter article by Brian Leclerc
“Laske’s writing and teaching provides rare insights into the patterns and rhythm of social-emotional and cognitive adult development. Laske’s grammar for dialectical thinking is like a scaffolding for cognitive development. The grammar consists of epistemic stances and is combined with an alphabet of 28 Thought Forms, which together allow for endless compositions of creative and transformational thinking.”
Karin Ulmer
Policy Advisor, Brussels
Graduate of Modules A to C
“In bringing together theories of cognitive and social-emotional adult development Otto Laske has developed a unique methodology for assessing human capability at work. The methodology is soundly based empirically and theoretically, practical to apply, and teachable. Organizations that need a means to understand the capability, and assess the development needs, of their managers now have a breakthrough method which goes well beyond the typical route of competency measurement and psychometric testing. Otto’s contribution to a decision science for Organizational Human Resources is immense and has far-reaching application. His programs have enriched and strengthened my practice, and in my view are essential learning for all practitioners in the field of management and organizational development.”
N. Shannon, management psychologist (UK)
“I have found Gateway, and Modules A & B to provide me with a remarkably robust methodology for assessing my coaching clients’ socio-emotional and cognitive lines of development. In particular, Otto’s ingenious work in bringing together a number of adult developmental and organizational theories to create an assessment approach in the cognitive line results in a sharp, evidence-based, reliable window into someone’s cognitive mapping. If we act based on how and what we think, this is a powerful way to gain insight into, and in turn support our clients’ development. For anyone using Ken Wilber’s lines of development in their coaching assessments and programs, this material can take you one step deeper into it.”
Jean Ogilvie, The Aeshna Project
“The impact of Gateway goes far beyond the introduction to developmental assessment or coaching. This has been my own experience. Now that I give courses in the Gateway materials I am told again and again that the course compels people to re-think their profession and challenges them to integrate its teachings into their daily work. The impact is not restricted to coaching or consulting as one may think. There is a large number of HR processes, from recruitment, outplacement, selection of trainers and contractors, conflict management to succession planning and talent management that take on a different meaning. If one begins to understand them in terms of adult development, those scattered HR practices start to make sense and unite in the goal of helping people to live at their requisite place in an organization — that is, to work in tune with the development they have achieved right now, and stretching them just to their next level.
“Through the Gateway course I have met a number of colleagues who have pursued their development in developmental consulting further. Some have become close partners in the Pro Action development programs and initiatives, working in different languages and places around Europe and the globe.”
R. v. L., Director, Pro-Action Europe pro-action.eu
“It's not enough merely to know *what* a client is thinking; especially since the client's thinking often underlies the creation or perpetuation of his challenges. Otto Laske's deep teachings illuminate that it is useful for a coach to understand *how* a client thinks. Recognizing the otherwise undetectable underlying structure of a client's expression can be as useful as paying attention to the content the client shares. As an executive coach whose value lies in being a "thinking partner" to my clients, I've had my perspective stretched, methods enhanced, and capacity to assist others by IDM's distinct and formidable content.”
D. B., Lead Well Coaching
“The key issue for my work and the success of the organizations I represent is the determination of the future. Otto Laske provides powerful tools to assist in this process. My synthesis of his world class resources enabled new strategic thinking. It helped in finding and developing unique opportunities in complex, community change projects that benefited leaders, their organizations and the wider community. The process involves applying integrative thinking to facilitate creative and provocative dialogues with people who can influence the direction of future policy. It involves challenging innate assumptions and practices restricted by conventional thinking in others.
“There are also many practical applications from the studying with the IDM: gaining personal insights into you own level development, considering how this may benefit others and gaining expertise in the use of tools that promote thinking.”
Eddy Jackson, Principal, Highfurlong School (UK)
“The elegant conceptual framework and language revealed in Gateway took me beyond both my clinical (counseling) and content driven (coaching) interactions to a more authentic relationship with my clients. I began to see some of the flaws in my approach to learning about my clients, the hit or miss fashion by which coach and client decide what the focus of the relationship will be. I began to use developmental language with my clients and myself, which we both found comprehensible and relevant, even illuminating at times. My clients began to ask questions and incorporate the language as their own. We became more effective together, and my clients stayed in coaching longer, due to a shift to a lifespan view of their own evolutionary development. Gateway was such a leap in knowledge that once again I was sure I must complete the package, by going through all of Program One.”
N.M., life and executive coach, Program One, Module B
“In the Gateway Program, I began to understand that adults move through some predictable stages or phases, and that these stages help to explain the source of their pain or obstacles and goals. Not only did I gain valuable insights about my own life, I also began to understand why some of those coaching interactions were not effective. I would never view coaching in the same way again. I began to ask questions and listen in a different way; I began to gain insights around how people make meaning out of their lives. My coaching took on a greater depth.
“While I have yet to perfect all the skills and techniques of developmental coaching, I now have an expanded sensitivity to my clients. I can make an informed hypothesis about my client that helps me put their coaching goals into a context that allows me to choose approaches and tools more suited to them. And I am now aware that delving more deeply into evidence based coaching through IDM courses would allow me to evaluate my hypothesis and to track the effectiveness of my coaching.”
L. F., life and executive coach, Gateway 2005
“Developmental coaching has helped me to better understand my clients and myself. I've learned that every individual is at a developmental level, and it's from this level that we function and make meaning of our experiences, our world, and ourselves. I've also learned that my clients' learning is influenced and impacted by their present capability/developmental level. With a much clearer and deeper understanding of my clients, I can be where each client is developmentally so that I can better help them to get to where they want to go. Understanding and using this information has helped me to better coach my clients, which gives them greater opportunities to create changes that are relevant to them and sustainable for the longer term.”
E. V-R, MCC, Gateway, 2005
“I have sought the 'next step' in my own development as a coach and I believe that this program is it. I am interested in expanding my coaching competencies to include learning how to listen, interview, and create a coaching plan based on the developmental model. I want to learn where I am developmentally and how to facilitate developmental shifts in others and myself.”
B.G., Gateway 2005
“I continue to believe that the path you are taking will make a major contribution to the profession of coaching, the practitioners of coaching, as well as those that are coached by good coaches. It is really an incredible situation (of coach education) you have created.”
M.S., Gateway Class 2004
“Otto, this is a short note to let you know how happy I was to see your article in the recent Coaching World. I think you are doing some of the most important work in our evolving profession, and I wish you the best of luck with it.”
S.M., MCC, International Coach Federation President-Elect, 2004
“Otto Laske is one of the brightest minds in the coaching profession. His CDREM allows coaches to assess their clients' level of development, and thus better target their coaching. The CDREM methodology is also the first tool for assessing and monitoring coaching effectiveness throughout an organization, based on objective, research-based criteria. This methodology creates more meaningful results for coach, client, and sponsor alike.”
S. M., Senior Coach
“As an OD consultant, I have found that the method taught by Dr. Laske is applicable outside of coaching. It can be used to assess teams as well as larger groups, in matters of hiring, outsourcing, team building, performance management, succession planning, and assessing the effectiveness of entire coaching programs. In short, it opens up new avenues of work for the consultant.”
S. S., Gateway and Program One Module A, 2003
“After participating in the Gloucester workshop of 2003, I knew I had to continue to pursue the framework you introduced. Your evidence based approach turns the subjective into objective, personal and measurable. I am particularly taken with your triangulated methods, and am eager to learn more about your approach.”
D.T., Manager
“I must say it is really a privilege for me to learn from you, especially since I believe that in a business the Human Capital value chain and related issues is really the last frontier for optimization of business performance.”
J.B., Gateway and Program One Module A, 2003
“A big value of learning from you is that it extends my range of powerful questions, provides new frameworks and tools with which to listen and understand my clients (in terms of adult development), and how they make meaning of their world. Gateway and Program One, Module A helps me be much more insightful with clients, and calibrate my coaching to capability and potential.”
D.S., Gateway and Program One Module A, 2003
“The teaching is really supportive of your own peculiar needs in understanding the developmental way of thinking; working in a buddy system with participants is another important support. Otto goes out of his way to give participants the help they need to 'get' the material, and is open to critical feedback to an astounding degree.”
K. T., Gateway and Program One Module A, 2002
“This course has truly enriched my coaching practice. Knowing the Constructive Developmental Framework has raised my awareness of who my clients are, in a way that is becoming more and more intuitive. I now have a developmental framework in which to locate my clients, and I am more aware of my own approach much more than before.”
D. M., Gateway and Program One Module A, 2002
“Otto has tremendous wisdom to offer to the coaching profession, and I am deeply grateful that he embodies and amplifies a more rigorous approach to coaching. A developmental model greatly serves to elevate the standards of the coaching profession.”
G. G., senior coach, 2002
“Otto is a mind changer, in many ways and languages. He teaches his methodology with passion and great insight so that you are forced to rethink your coach practice, and become eager to understand your own developmental position and, consequently, approach to coaching.”
A. C., Gateway and Program One Module A, 2002
“Otto's developmental framework is extremely well conceived and is a welcome addition to the field. Otto helps us understand why sometimes coaching does not work, and what we can do as coaches to develop ourselves, and deliver our services at the most appropriate level for our clients' needs. He is an engaging speaker with a compelling message.”
M. E., senior coach, 2001
“The Constructive Developmental Framework is a break-through in the coaching field. It allows coaches to design interventions that meet the clients where they are developmentally, and to determine the effectiveness of their interventions over time.”
C. S., Ed D, senior coach, 2001