Category: Dialectical Thinking

This text by Otto Laske and Alessandro Rossi describes the use of the Constructive Developmental Framework as a culture transformation instrument. Pragmatic implementations of CDF are geared to strengthening dialectical thinking in groups, teams, committees, and coalitions, whether commercial, academic, political, or educational, with an eye on increasing collaborative intelligence. The focus of such work is placed intoplaying “dialectical thought games” in real time, targeting a real-world problem. The authors think that innovation has to become commensurate with the challenges now arising from the human ability to transform nature (anthropocene). Accordingly, their call to action is focused on dialectical cognition, not psychology or social-emotional development. The main topics are: The need for a new concept of human being and of work Handling complexity in the anthropocene is not “business as usual” Moving from systems thinking to transformational (dialectical) thinking has become a societal necessity Human development needs social support in the zone of proximal development Innovation requires collaborative intelligence and maturity in teams A Developmental Agenda EN Read More...

In this short article I am pointing to some deficiencies of the present notion of DDO, "deliberately developmental organizations". In contrast, I present a short apercu on the benefits of CDF, the Constructive Developmental Framework which I see as a more comprehensive approach to understanding the nature of work and a set of tools for designing new work environments. Seeing WORK As A Medium of Adult Development Read More...

Solving real world problems tests professionals’ present level of cognitive development. A good training ground for working on hard problems in teams is the Case Study Cohort Method (CSCM) developed at the Interdevelopmental Institute. The method consists of a having members of a team assessing an individual’s or team’s level of cognitive maturity debate the empirical evidence that speaks in favor of one or the other level of subjects’ cognitive flexibility. Although the material for the debate is “academic”, consisting of a transcription of a 1-hr cognitive interview, the opportunities for sharpening one’s use of dialectical thought forms is the same as in a real-world situation in which an individual or team is looking for solutions. In this paper, I describe both the method and show what it entails to learn to use dialectical thought forms, envisioning that such use could become a social practice with major benefits for solving global economic and political problems. (A reprint from Integral Review 11, no. 3, 2015). DTF as a Tool for Creating Integral Collaborations Read More...

This article proposes a new way of thinking about engaging in commercial enterprises meant to safeguard Planet Earth.DIALECTIC INTERPRETED IN THE LOGIC OF COMMERCE Read More...

In this article, I highlight the resources of the Constructive Developmental Framework (CDF) for finding and retaining organizational talent and designing a work environment that supports shared leadership. CDF as a Talent Finder and Work Design Methodology Read More...

This article describes a constructivist approach to coaching based on the Constructive Developmental Framework (CDF). Such coaching is evidence based, i.e., based on empirical assessments of coachees prior to actual coaching. Coaching plans are based on empirical findings about coachees' present frame of reference (the way they see the world), meant to guide them toward a more lucid understanding of themselves and their work, and toward more complex thinking. The article appeared in the International Review of Coaching Psychology, London, UK, in 2007, and is here reprinted because it helps behavioral coaches understand the limitations of their professional work. Contributions of Evidence Based Coaching 2007   Read More...