Widening circles & practical versus right
A couple of things that came up in a conversation today:
Levels as widening circles and turns around the spiral
The language of levels and tiers, as we know, puts off some people. Mainly those at green level. It just sounds too hierarchical and elitist for those at green.
Another way to word it is to talk about widening and more inclusive circles.
As we move along the developmental spirals, that is what happens: our view becomes more inclusive and comprehensive, the circles embrace more.
Using this language, the first turn around the spiral is the infrared and level one, the sixth turn is green and the sixth level, and so on.
This is one way to rephrase it when talking with greens without sacrificing accuracy, and more importantly, without turning them off simply due to language. (And this, turning greens off simply due to choice of language, is what KW sometimes choose to do - maybe to get their attention, or for some other reason. In any case, it is difficult for me to understand why, and to see that it has any beneficial outcomes.)
Second and first tiers: practical or right?
And here is one way to talk about the first and second tiers, very general and rough:
At first tier, the first bundle of turns around the spiral, it is about being right. My views are right, and you need to change. Which we all know is, yes, hopeless!
At second tier, the second bundle of turns around the spiral, it is about being practical.
There is an appreciation for the other turns of the spiral, an ability to access and make use of the gifts of the first tier turns, and an ability and willingness to meet people where they are at.
In short, it is a more practical approach.
Second tier as more pragmatic
And that is how the second tier tends to come up for me, the second set of turns: It is just about being more pragmatic, informed by a more integral view such as that of quadrants and levels of development.
Labels: aqal, integral, spiral dynamics