Powerful stuff.It makes a lot of sense even if it is astretch from where we are now.
phil faris - barrington,il. USA

I strongly agree. Too many "coaches" create dependence because 1) they don't know another way, 2) and dependency keeps clients coming back. Facilitating the "development" of clients gives them their own winds to fly! AND, as -Albert Einstein says, "The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." The support people need is learning how to develop that important skill for themselves.
Heidi Wendell - Helena, Montana, USA

I've seen the difference between current coaching techniques and developmental coaching and WOW, it is very powerful!
patti - cincinnati, ohio

This is dead on! This is what I have been trying to articulate for 4 years now. Mike jay says it perefectly. Sure we are all coaches AND what does that mean for business leadership and executive development? The future of business and of the world for that matter is requiring us all to step up our awareness and take responsibility for our own development. Nobody is coming to do it for you! This work if definately FAST.
Robert Knowlton - Philadelphia, PA, USA

This guy is eminently fast tracking. Who is he? His ideas seem to be cutting edge - one of those people who likes to stretch the boundaries. He makes sense. He seems to be taking the best of coaching skills into the next generation.
John Turner - England

This is a big paradigm shift not just for the coaching industry but for business as well. Creating self-sufficient, self-coaching employees should be the goal of every organization and Mike Jay's developmentalism is the way to ensure this.
Merlyn Sanchez - Miami, FL USA

Coaching has a mixed reputation -- for good reason. It looks like the author is suggesting a path that may help focus the use of coaching, particularly in business, that would differentiate the developmental approach from those who are dealing with leadership, communications skills, etc. as though they separate and unrelated.
Russ Volckmann, PhD - Pacific Grove, CA 93950

I've been in the B/Coach program for only two months and have learned more theory, use, and leadership principles than any other coaching program I've taken.
Marilyn Murphy - Fort Collins CO 80521

Wow! Is this ever FAST! Where can I read more? Thank you, Fast Company. I can always count on you to be on the cutting edge! Daniela
Daniela Uricaru - Calgary, Canada

Mike Jay is definitely at the cutting edge with his concept of developmentalism. So many people today are calling themselves coaches when all they are really doing is driving their own agendas and sadly, most of them don't even realize it. Developmentalists continually strive to increase their own self-awareness so they know how to stay out of the client's way while the client does the work. The result - CLIENT EFFECTIVENESS. And that is the true measure of success. A developmentalist works hard to obselete him/herself FAST!
Jane Thilo - Mercer Island, WA

Very interesting. Self-awareness is truly key. In the "old" model of coaching you could probably say that the greater the self-awareness of the coach, the greater the effectiveness of the coaching. Or at the least, the needs of the coach would not be apt to get in the way. The awareness of the "client" is also essential and always has been. Being aware of and responsible for ourselves - to the degree that we are capable - seems to be what life demands in any role. As for "developmentalism" - it sounds good - but that might be because of all ten dollar words that, I believe, obscure the meaning of what Mike is trying to say for even an above average reader. So many of us struggle with how to realize and exercise our humanity in the business model of North America - capitalism. In my company - 80 heads just went rolling and I don't think it had much to do with their development. From where I sit, it looks like come January or February lots of people in a beautiful, oil rich country are going to die - not because of some crazed, murderous dictator - but because of our need for oil - a capitalist business venture. So my question for developmentalism is - from where or whence does it derive its core values? Does it have any? Does it need any?
Aarifa - Belleville, Ontario, Canada

Once again Mike Jay demonstrates that he is an unparalleled thought leader in the realm of coaching and related modalities designed to support motivated individuals to enhance their capability and effectiveness, no matter what their current level of development. Developmentalism isn't another "flavor of the month"; it's a fundamental paradigm shift. Business leaders everywhere take note!
Greg Welstead - Toronto ON Canada

Mutual support in co-creating is the key. It has to be this way. Good job, Mike!
Frank Wiegers - Los Angeles CA, USA

Mike Jay is creating breakthrough thinking in our e-commerce age. His seminole work in tracking historical knowledge coupled with inovative applications in leadership development should be required reading for every CEO & HR leader.
Mark N. Yavelow - Mount Vernon, NY, USA

This says it perfectly. Most fo the coaching I've observed creates codepencency with the client, whereas Mike's developmentalism system is intended to facilitate client development through increased self-awareness, which is the corner stone of emotional intelligence. With self-awareness comes increased capacity for taking responsibility and increased capacity to cope in a world of excalating complexity.
Bob Medlock - Fort Collins, CO, USA

Much like a person's life development, it is important to change and to grow - but if pushed too fast, one can become arrested in a stage less than their full potential. What Mike is talking about makes a lot of sense. It is a vision of a stage of development that hasn't been considered...but needs to be...for those who are ready.
Sandy Nahan, Psy.D. - Los Angeles, CA

I recently signed up for Mike's B/Coach training course. Several of my YellowWoods Consultants associates enrolled as well. The original thinking Mike shares in this article is the reason why.
Don Hutcheson - Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Mike is making a unique contribution through bringing together a vast array of well researched, leading theories and practice for developing and leveraging human potential, and applying it to the needs and opportunities of business.
Joyce Baker - San Diego CA

This is an exciting concept, one which should be welcomed by coaches who are invested in the growth of their clients.
Lynda - Atlanta, GA.

What better 'gift'can one receive from the coaching relationship than creating and generating one's own capability!
Beverly Post - Boston, MA, USA

This is exciting stuff and is just what we are aiming for with our clients! As an executive coach with YellowWoods Consulting, getting people and companies to have this greater awareness and claiming their truth as THEIRS, both personally and in the business world, is key. Thank you for your vision and sharing it!
Anne Whitaker - Atlanta, Georgia

Mike Jay is a leading edge thinker whose genis is the integration of knowledge/expertise and key breakthroughs from the world of science, philosophy, economics etc. He weaves those tenets together with sound principles of business and the best of leadership practice in a way that leverages the capacities of the organization through the individuals that it relies upon. This developmental work is both deep and dynamic, an essential for business and personal success. You definitely want to find out more about it - don't let this opportunity pass you by.
Leila Marsh-Stuart - San Diego, CA

I agree 100%. Ideally, coaches should be working themselves out of a job by helping the client become self sufficient in all areas.
Warren Prelesnik - USA

I like it!
Jan Bennett - Bellevue, WA

Key points of moving to the future with self awareness, empowerment, self sufficiency and connectedness. Bravo!
Peter Metzner - Hillsborough, NC 27278

How are we going to survive as a species,much less thrive? As far as I can tell, developmentalism is the only way. It offers us both short-term improvement in performance and the methodology to achieve true change and transformation. In the case of developmentalism, slower IS faster than anything else around! The quicker we all get this, the better off we're all going to be, in our personal, interpersonal, and business realities!
Manya Arond-Thomas - Ann Arbor, MI, USA

If modeling is a valued coaching skill, then Mike Jay is enriching the stew......can't grow if you don't stretch!
Michael Grant - Washington, DC

Connecting coaching to complex adaptive systems theory that underlies the fundamental change processes our world is experiencing makes sooo much sense. Mike Jay is truly a thought leader ...
Julie Westeinde - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Mike Jay's approach to business challenges, and the pitfalls of business and professional development is right on target! His Developmental coaching concept is research-based, and has real potential to impact the real problems faced by business leaders in today's tumultous business climate. Any change effort must have a solid basis in a professional evaluation, change strategy, learning component, and follow-up. When coaching is used with and after the learning component, it has tremendous success potential. But standing alone, without the other components, it's usually a matter of "buyer beware!" Mike Jay's Developmental Coaching incorporates the critical components. Expect dynamic results!
Frances Summers, MS, Industrial/Organizational Psychologist - Medford, Oregon, USA

The opportunity to develop greater levels of awareness is both exciting and intriguing. Mike - thank for leading the way with Developmentalism. I look forward to learning more.
J. Martin - Oakville, ON Canada

Mike Jay's approach seeks to integrate the practice of coaching with developmental psychology and integral studies which are best expressed, in my opinion, by people like Ken Wilbur and his colleagues in the Integral Institute. To be sure, coaching is not dead. Thomas Leonard and the various coaching schools and organizations provide excellent training and resources and they indeed have thousands of supporters and graduates. I agre with Leonard that everyone is a coach, however not everyone is an effective coach. The coaching metaphor has become quite popular and many people calling themselves coaches are quite ineffective. Most of the excellent materials published by the coaching organizations are practical applications, with a minimum of underlying theory. As an emerging profession, coaching needs a solid theoretical foundation. As in any profession, not every coach will be a theorist; some will provide superior service to their clients by using their natural skills, learned techniques, and personal experiences. However Jay is seeking to provide the theory upon which the effective techniques are based and to proactively update this theoretical foundation to keep up with the inevitable changes in all aspects of our world.
Dan Kaufman - Milwaukee, WI, USA

The concept is awesome, and it is going to be very complex and difficult to implement - so, Best of luck to pioneer such shift. However, Mike, can I make a humble comment - try making it sound simpler. Don't let the complexity overflow into the presentation of the idea - it would make it easier for you to make fans of the concept
biren - baroda/gujrat/india

As a business coach for 10 in the Sales Force Development arena I find Mike's concepts interesting but much too complex for the front lines in today's economy. I highly agree that co-dependency is not what is needed and what I do is make sure my clients can not only succeed at reaching their goals but also be able to coach their clients in a manner that fits thier culture.Therefore they do not need me for anything esle than strategic planning and being the eyes and ears outside of their organization. Salesforces today generate the revenues in the world economy and thses folks have the desire, and committment to their success or they crash and burn. Maybe Mike's stuff works well with life coaching however that is something that I wouldn't do anyway. Leave that to the therapists. Is this way beyond the limit of what is known? I don't know. Therefore if I can't figure it out quickly then that excludes an awful lot of the successful people in the business world who have no time or desire for the details and live with the big picture. But it sound good Mike, keep it up and and keep pushing the envelope.
Ed Kleinman - Baltimore, Maryland

Superby high level stuff! Want to see more form that guy!
Jean-Yves Lord - Aylmer, Quebec, Canada

Whoopee! I'm amazed at all the comments it has attracted and the differences of opinion. We truly live in interesting times...it may sound complex, but actually it is quite simple and is different for every person, EACH and EVERY person will see/hear/feel/think/experience/relate to it differently, that is in fact, the idea. So instead of carwashing everyone with the fad of the day...we find the leverage points in their value system and co-create the opportunity for a journey of awareness. Oh, and as one person stated(?), "80 heads rolling is indeed indicative of the lack of awareness in leadership!" On to developmentalism! THANKS for your comments everyone, it helped me learn a lot! Mike Jay, http://www.developmentalist.com
Mike Jay - Virtual USA

Mike Jay has hit the nail on the head! When I first started coaching, I was told I could never get my first step into an organization by presenting myself as a coach. I soon found out why. It's because no one has been able to adequately articulate what coaching IS, what it DOES, or what it PRODUCES. Developmentalism, on the other hand, captures what organizatons need most: Emotionally competent managers who have been transformed into leaders able to take the right actions that produce the right results. It's time we took the needs of business seriously and it looks like those who practice Developmentalism just might be what the doctor; I mean, CEO, ordered.
Ericka Sherod - Tulsa, OK, USA

I am fascinated, confused, excited and left wanting to know much more? Most of it is commonsense and the rest I struggling to comprehend, but I will persevere. The KISS principle of cascading the info would be good. I very much agree with the need for SPEAKING THE TRUTH (EVEN IF IT CAN ONLY BE FROM PERSONAL PERCEPTION) Teaching the world to FISH rather than give each a fish ... is I believe.. KEY! Mike... I am watching this space!! Good Luck
Heather Cross - Hampshire, England

For anyone who has coached or guided someone into self-awareness and saw him/her develop to the point where you, as the coach, knew he/she was ready to move on and be capable, this is an incredible experience. Developmentalism and developmental coaching does just that. Well done and I look forward to learning more.
Elizabeth Skronski - Mississauga, Ontario, Canada