Sample Scenarios

Using StageLens technology for group-level assessment of adult development

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Below are six hypothetical purpose statements for a range of applications of the StageLens wisdom maturity assessment technology, to give you concrete examples of how it can be used:

1. Program evaluation: the impact of 360 Feedback on wisdom maturity skills for executives

2. Conflict mediation preparation -- large group culture assessment

3. Decision support for coaching and transformational change work

4. Evaluating wisdom maturity levels in a random population sample in a study of civic deliberation

5. Assessing the likely success of a corporate merger

6. Investment and Estate Advising—meeting new challenges

1. Program Evaluation: the impact of 360 feedback on wisdom maturity skills for executives — Second-Tier Coaching Europe is running a leadership development program for 150 executive and middle managers at Cross Cultural Dining Inc. We wish to assess the impact of this 12-month leadership program using a pre-, mid-, and post-program assessment of wisdom/leadership maturity. We also will gain insight on whether there is sufficient complexity capacity in our leadership team to handle current market challenges and uncertainties.

2. Conflict Mediation: preparing for a large group culture assessment— International Conflict Resolution Associates is charged with facilita

ting a series of conflict resolution dialogue and planning sessions with two religious/cultural populations in the Middle East. In preparing for these processes we use ego development assessment to inform the pre-planning. (Ego development theo

ry suggests that groups with higher developmental levels will be better able to take the perspective of others, reflect on their beliefs and values, and tolerate more complexity and uncertainty in the factual material they are given.) Our goal is to match the written materials and dialogue activities to average (or quartile) participant development, and in particular avoid using materials or methods that will confuse or antagonize any of the parties. We will craft alternative processes and assign group compositions based on developmental capacity and diversity considerations.

3. Decision Support for coaching and transformational change work — At RatchetUp, we have set a goal to become a more "deliberately developmental organization" (DDO). We will use StageLens to assess the average developmental level of our employees to inform the appropriate depth of organizational change processes we will embark on. More depth means a deeper dive, more challenge, more dialogue, and potentially more time commitment. We will compare the range of developmental levels across five job types and across 4 profit centers, in order to determine which of two alternative training programs each group will have access to: a "modest stretch" vs. a "deep dive" version of the program.

4. Comparing wisdom maturity levels in a random population sample in a study of civic deliberation — The ability of citizens to consider complex issues and engage in deliberative dialogue is thought to be related to ego development. We have completed prior research in measuring various factors involved in civic deliberation in a number of rural and urban cities in two stages (Massachusetts and Arkansas). We will give the StageLens assessment of ego development to a random sampling of citizens in these loc

ations (total n=1200). We will correlate this data with what we already know about civic deliberation in these locations,to test our hypothesis that ego development correlates with a number of these factors.

5. Assessing the likely success of a corporate merger — Our firm is assisting Company A's (3200 employees) research into a potential acquisition of Company B (1030 employees). In studies of corporate mergers and acquisitions "culture match" is often cited as a primary factor. Developmental maturity indicators are an important contributor to the interior factors of corporate culture and values. We will use the StageLens assessment to assess leadership maturity in 3 hierarchical levels within 4 strategic business units in each company. We will assess cultural alignments and mismatches that will (1) inform the decision to acquire; and (2) streamline the post-acquisition process.

6. Investment and Estate Advising—meeting new challenges — The Wealth Management business unit at Magenta Financial Services wants to better serve their most important clients. Magenta’s advisors consult wealthy individuals on investment strategy and estate management. Advisor roles are changing—from the traditional role of providing advice on transactional bottom-line decisions— to more coach-like roles for clients concerned with social impact and inclusive decision making processes. These new roles require more skills in perspective taking, tolerance for ambiguity, and creative thinking. Ego development tracks well with shifts in these advisor capacities (specifically from "achiever" to "pluralist" capacities). This is a pilot study with a cross section of 50 Magenta advisors to (1) better match advisors with client needs, and (2) plan training workshops to build required skills in those that seem ready and willing.