Navigating Leadership in a Divided World
Uncovering the Hidden Patterns of Growth
Our world feels increasingly complex.
This complexity can lead to feelings of fear, judgment, cynicism, shame, worry, and uncertainty. The opposite of these emotions is courage, understanding, trust, self-compassion, peace, and clarity.
In recent weeks, my personal lifeline through the turmoil shaking our foundational values has been threefold:
Deepening my reading and knowledge.
Building a garden.
Reducing my social media and news consumption.
While I remain well-informed and engaged in social media, I have made a deliberate decision to focus on self-care activities. Self-care isn’t selfish; it is essential.
Navigating Complexity Through Leadership Development
I recently picked up Jennifer Garvey Berger’s newest edition of Changing on the Job: How Leaders Become Courageous, Wise, and Steady in an Anxious World (2025)1. In this book, along with her earlier research and collaborations with Robert Kegan, she explores how we make sense of a complex world.
A complex world is characterized by unpredictability, ambiguity, and rapid change. Cause and effect are unclear, and predictable outcomes are uncertain. In this environment, certainty is elusive, and decisions that seemed clear yesterday may shift tomorrow.
How leaders navigate this complexity may be related to their stage of adult development. Robert Kegan (1980), with further contributions from Garvey Berger (2025), outlines several stages of adult development:
Stage 1: The Self-Sovereign Mind (Adolescence – Can Persist Into Adulthood, About 10% of Adults)
At this earliest stage, individuals are driven by impulses, immediate needs, and sensory experiences rather than long-term strategic planning. They struggle to take another person’s perspective and often act impulsively based on what feels good in the moment. Their identity is indistinguishable from their immediate desires.
Individuals at this stage focus on “me, me, me.” The only concern for others arises when an action directly impacts them or leads to consequences that restrict their freedom. Blaming others when things go wrong is common. If an adult has not engaged in continuous learning or personal development, they may remain stuck at this level, exhibiting reactive behaviors and an inability to take responsibility.
Stage 2: The Socialized Mind (Late Adolescence to 20s & 30s – About 45% of Adults)
At this stage, individuals are driven by external influences such as family, peers, social groups, or institutions. Their identity is deeply tied to belonging and approval from authority figures. Decision-making is challenging outside of their identity group, whether that be a political party, religion, workplace, or volunteer organization.
A moral conflict may arise when individuals at this stage struggle to reconcile their personal beliefs with those of their social group. This internal tension can lead to confusion, indecisiveness, and distress when faced with competing perspectives.
Stage 3: The Self-Authored Mind (About 40% of Adults Who Have Done Interpersonal Work)
At this level, individuals construct their own belief systems and make decisions independently of their social groups. They take ownership of their choices and think critically about societal norms. Their actions are guided by personal values and principles, which they continuously refine.
People in the self-authored mind can hold multiple perspectives while maintaining a strong sense of self. As leaders, they foster autonomy in others, encouraging independent thinking. However, they may struggle to provide simple, definitive answers in a world that demands certainty.
Stage 4: The Self-Transforming Mind (3% of Adults – Rare Leaders)
Individuals at this stage recognize that all belief systems, including their own, are limited and subject to evolution. They embrace paradoxes and multiple perspectives, understanding that truth is complex. These leaders are systemic thinkers, aiming to address problems holistically rather than in isolation.
Self-transforming leaders are often humble about their knowledge and may struggle with self-promotion. Their leadership style fosters learning cultures within organizations, though they may appear distant or indecisive as they seek to include diverse voices in decision-making.
Why People Follow Leaders at Lower Developmental Stages
Many people are drawn to leaders operating at lower developmental stages for three key reasons:
Cognitive Load and Simplicity: In stressful situations, at least half of all people prefer leaders who provide certainty and clear answers. Even when self-sovereign leaders offer incorrect or oversimplified solutions, their clarity can be reassuring in a complex world.
Tribal Identity: People at the socialized mind level seek leaders who reinforce their existing worldviews. Group loyalty often overrides independent critical thinking, leading individuals to follow authority figures without questioning their motivations or ethics.
The Voice of Fear: Trauma can significantly impact adult development, keeping individuals stuck in earlier stages. Those who have not undergone post-traumatic growth may find security in self-sovereign or socialized leaders who offer definitive, albeit limited, perspectives.
The Role of Trauma in Leadership Development
Trauma and the Self-Sovereign Mind
Trauma can keep individuals at this level in survival mode, making them reactive and defensive. They struggle with emotional regulation, perspective-taking, and self-reflection. Their interactions with authority figures may be marked by either submission or rebellion.
Trauma and the Socialized Mind
People at this stage derive their sense of self from external validation. Trauma can heighten their fear of disapproval, reinforcing dependency on authority figures who provide structure and certainty. This can make them vulnerable to manipulation and reluctant to assert personal boundaries.
Healing and Growth Toward Higher Developmental Stages
While trauma responses exist at all levels of development, healing through self-awareness, reflection, and post-traumatic growth can facilitate movement toward self-authorship and self-transformation.
A More Compassionate Perspective on Leadership
Understanding Robert Kegan’s adult development research and Jennifer Garvey Berger’s accessible books may help us shift from frustration to empathy when evaluating leadership behaviors. Rather than viewing leaders at lower stages as incompetent, we might recognize that they are operating from a developmental level that limits their ability to navigate complexity effectively.
You may consider approaching people of different level adult development as individuals who may not have had the opportunity to grow beyond a certain stage. This perspective challenges us to lead with understanding while fostering environments that encourage growth and transformation.
Final Thoughts
As I continue exploring these ideas, I am challenged to reconcile the frustration of seeing impulsive, reactive decision-making in leadership with a more compassionate lens. Are these individuals simply operating from an earlier developmental stage? If so, how can we create environments that encourage growth rather than perpetuate stagnation? These are questions worth exploring further.
For those interested in diving deeper, I highly recommend Jennifer Garvey Berger’s books in whatever format works best for you. Robert Kegan’s research is also invaluable, though complex—fair warning! In a world of rapid change, developing a deeper understanding of leadership and adult development may offer a pathway to greater clarity, resilience, and collective progress.
Berger, J. G. (2019). Unlocking leadership mindtraps: How to Thrive in Complexity. Stanford Briefs.
Garvey Berger, J. (2024). Changing on the job: Developing leaders for a complex world (2nd ed.). Stanford University Press.
Kegan, R. (1994). In over our heads: The Mental Demands of Modern Life. Harvard University Press.
Kegan, R. (2009). The evolving self. Harvard University Press.