Integral Theory – Integral Theory is based primarily on the research and insights of Ken Wilber with contributions from numerous eorists and researchers at the Integral Institute. It is the organizing framework for all of IDA’s work. Integral theory is the most comprehensive system available today for making sense of complex human beings and human systems.  This framework allows us to simply but elegantly organize and incorporate the insights of a great number of disciplines. Integral theory provides a platform for exploring all aspects of an individual or group situation in the pursuit of tools, technologies and approaches adapted to the unique needs of an organization, its purpose, principles and people. 

"Immunity to Change"-- Why is change so difficult, even when everyone and everything is aligned around the goal? Robert Kegan, Professor of Adult Learning and Professional Development at Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), says that there are other "alignments" going on at the same time that compete for our commitment to change. He and Lisa Lahey, associate director of HGSE's Change Leadership Group, developed a process of discovering a natural, common, but previously hidden dynamic that prevents change and preserves the status quo.  They called this phenomenon the "immunity to change."  Their research revealed behaviors through which individuals and groups work against their own change goals.  The countervailing tension between two sets of equally sincere motivations drives the “immune system” and sustains the status quo. Trained and licensed by Kegan and Lahey in 2001, IDA has been using this powerful process to help numerous organizations in all market sectors: healthcare, high-tech, non-profit, government, education and so on.

The Empowerment Dynamic--In the early 1970s, Dr. Stephen Karpman defined a set of relational dynamics that he called the "drama triangle." The roles that make up a drama triangle — Victim, Persecutor and Rescuer — can lock an individual, team or group into frustrating and unproductive interactions.  In the last few years, David Emerald has laid out a powerful path out of this common situation that works by shifting any one of the roles: from Victim to Creator, from Persecutor to Challenger, and from Rescuer to Coach. David calls this configuration of roles "the empowerment dynamic." These moves are simple, but not easy. IDA teaches and works with these moves in one-on-one and group counseling, as well as in organizational interventions where they are appropriate. Once these dynamics are brought to consciousness, new and more effective relationships and actions become possible.

Action Inquiry -- Dr. Susann Cook Greuter's Leadership Maturity Framework provides a subtle and comprehensive stage model for understanding how people and groups make different sense of their roles, opportunities and conflict situations. We use Susann's proven and practical approach to designing development plans and supporting team effectiveness. Different world views contain internally consistent belief systems that make up "action logics." These action logics also help comprise ethical and spiritual aspects of leadership and development. Susann's Leadership Development Profile, also called the SCTi-MAP, is a rigorous and reliable assessment of leadership potential and forms a superior basis for creating leadership development programs and coaching. Even a thumbnail estimation of the action-logic profiles at play in an organizational effort can provide powerful, actionable insights so that leaders can make the most effective and efficient use of resources in support the individual executive, team or organizational change effort.  Her test is easy to access and is remarkable for the information it produces.  Click here for details.