CERTIFICATION TRAINING
VERTICAL PERSONALITY
TARGET GROUP
This training course for our “Vertical Personality” assessment tool is aimed at trainers and consultants, members of management and executives, as well as employees in HR/HRD departments and anyone else who may be interested.
ABOUT THE TRAINING
During the two-day training course, you will gain insight into the theoretical construct of the survey system and the multifaceted content of the underlying model, and develop an understanding of how the factors and facets of the survey system work and how they are interrelated.
In addition to the theoretical parts, the analysis of anonymized real reports forms the basis for learning how to interpret the results accurately. Participants work on implementation structures for the transfer of results.
Before the training, participants take the test online and evaluate the results during the training. Through the accurate interpretation of their own survey, participants gain essential personal insights and the competence to use the procedure.
COSTS & DATES
The cost of participation is € 1,500 per person, incl. materials, plus VAT.
Dates for certification:
- June 17-18, 2026 – 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM
- September 29-30, 2026 – 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM
- upon request
CONCEPT & OBJECTIVES
The personality models currently available on the market measure people’s decision-making and action-taking abilities on a horizontal level. Horizontal means one’s own competencies, skills, abilities, and knowledge.
Another approach is to define human development in terms of its possibilities depending on age—in other words, on a vertical level. Vertical development is therefore about the development of psychological maturity in humans. It is about the unfolding of their potential for deeper understanding, deeper relationships, and greater impact.
We would like to introduce you to this model with all 8 stages and show you our latest survey system for it.
Structure
These are the 8 stages of vertical personality development. People go through these stages in their development and master them to a greater or lesser extent, with the degree of development within each stage depending on the individual.
The length of time spent at each stage also varies.
These stages are established in humans at an early age in a rudimentary form. They have age-dependent developmental sensitivities throughout life.
In situations of excessive stress, the individual temporarily regresses to the lower stages that have not been mastered.
The model shows the path by which people achieve personal maturity throughout their lives. It also shows the stage a person is at according to their age, but also where they could be.
The model encourages people to consciously promote the growth of self-esteem, relationship skills, personal impact, and identity.
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Impulsive stage (E2) | Acts without reflection based on immediate events. Shows impulsive, emotional, uncontrolled reactions and inner restraint or conscious control. Has little control over their own actions. |
| 2. Stage of self-protection (E2) | Protects themselves through defense, explanation, and rationalization, rejects feedback by portraying the sources of feedback as untrustworthy. Focuses on self-protection and maintaining low self-esteem. |
| 3. Egocentric stage | Self-centeredness and calculating one’s own advantage are the focus. Tries to protect oneself in order to at least secure one’s own advantage. It is about personal needs and materialistic objects and the need to enrich oneself. Can be manipulative and suspects others of acting manipulatively. Willingness to deceive others. |
| 4. Conformist stage (E4) | Need to belong to a social group. Finds personal value and identity in belonging to a social group. Focuses on complying with rules and norms. Avoids conflicts. Cares about the well-being of the group. Distinguishes itself from other groups. |
| 5. Level of self-esteem (E5) | The individual recognizes the value of knowledge and skills, which form the basis of self-esteem. This personal responsibility, which develops in the middle or towards the end of school and training, nourishes the emerging self-esteem when success is achieved. Competitive thinking. Need to stand out and be recognized. |
| 6. Level of self-determined design (E6) | The individual begins to shape the environment according to their own ideas, rather than simply seeking the approval of those around them. Strong communication skills support this process. Able to express intentions verbally in a convincing manner. |
| 6a. Intellectual dominance | Develops complex concepts for large-scale projects. Recognizes the internal logic in contexts. Leads as a strategist. Focuses on goals, processes, structures, and results, rather than on people. Can appear cool and aloof. People follow because of strategic brilliance. |
| 6b. Emotional dominance | Is able to connect with people through a high level of psychological empathy, show understanding, and inspire others through creative inspiration. Can inspire people, can develop charisma. Does not shy away from conflict and strives for ideals. Has reflective values. |
| 7. Stage of self-reflection (E7) | The individual fully achieves the process of self-reflection. By understanding the effect of assumptions, people increasingly see their own role in causing events. Not in order to accuse themselves, but to recognize their own possibilities and then realize them in their own behavior. Intensive examination of one’s own shadow and deepest emotional wounds enables them to continue growing by removing blockages. Feedback is desired, including for one’s own personal contribution, and is actively sought. |
| 8. Level of autonomy (E8, E9) | At this level, individuals can handle very high levels of abstraction and complexity on an intellectual, social, and societal level. At this level, people are able to transform projects involving many participants in a sustainable manner. New fields of activity are sought, and social developments are also integrated. Respect and tolerance characterize their interactions with others. The creation of resonance and harmony, the ability to create meaning, and balanced predictions for the future make these people highly valued discussion partners. Calm, witty humor and the constant use of their own creativity lead to a highly convincing effect. They know their own dark side well and can deal with it in a measured way. |
Supporting factors
The supporting factors are, in a sense, internal accelerators of human development. The more pronounced these factors are, the more fluid and rapid the development becomes in the stages, but also beyond the stages. Conversely, weak manifestations of these factors lead to slower development or even stagnation. Just as humans can go through the eight stages throughout their lives, the supporting factors are also developed and manifested in parallel with the stages. The development of self-esteem, for example, is a lifelong process. This process can be developed to varying degrees of depth and speed, but also to a certain degree of stability. The dynamic is therefore that, on the one hand, the supporting factors are developed to varying degrees by individuals throughout their lives and, on the other hand, they serve as accelerators for progressing through the various stages of life.
| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Self-esteem (S) | Self-esteem arises from the sum of a person’s achievements and their willingness to take credit for these achievements. This is linked to a person’s assumptions about themselves. The more positive the assumptions about oneself and the more stable and centered the conscious constructive attitude is, the more a healthy sense of self-esteem can develop. This process then has a beneficial effect on a person’s development throughout the stages of life. |
| Ability to reflect and learn (R) | Reflection means that someone is able to process a personal perception in a meaningful way. A personal perception can be feedback, for example, or even a surprising experience. The question is how the individual deals with it. Does the new experience lead to rejection, ignorance, or reflection? Reflection means that the issue is processed internally and increasingly leads to a change in inner attitude. Reflection is therefore a prerequisite for any constructive change in behavior. |
| Trusting relationships with other people (B) | The more role models someone has around them, i.e., people from whom they can learn a lot, and the more trusting relationships they have formed, the more a person’s natural potential development will happen automatically. Honest, well-intentioned feedback and helpful encouragement promote personal development. It is also much easier to build personal trust when the individual has experienced trust themselves. |
| Managing your own energy (E) | One of the most valuable innate abilities of living beings is inner energy. This energy does not need to be motivated; it is simply there. It is a positive “inner drive” that takes effect when self-esteem is also positive. Inner energy can be stimulated or reduced by other people. This inner energy is not stable, but rather more or less viscous and dependent on both external and internal processes of evaluation and devaluation. It is one of the most effective components of our psychological apparatus. Research has clearly shown that this factor is clearly related to a person’s performance-defined success. The stronger the inner drive, the greater the success, regardless of the discipline. |
| Self-efficacy (W) | Self-efficacy is a person’s inner conviction that they can achieve goals and realize intentions through their own competence. The higher the self-efficacy, the less influence is attributed to external factors. A person firmly believes that they can achieve what they want through their own competence. This conviction regarding one’s own influence has a positive effect on one’s willingness to commit to the cause. This creates the perseverance and personal effort necessary for many projects. Self-efficacy is closely linked to self-esteem. |
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RELATED TO THE TOPIC
How is the dynamics?
In healthy development, the following develop:
… through:
Questionnaire
Vertical Personality is designed as an online feedback process. The short version (without management responsibility) comprises 160 statements and the long version (including management responsibility) comprises 196 statements.
The assessment takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.
Evaluation
In addition to self-assessment, you can obtain feedback from your supervisor and other feedback providers.
The most important criterion when selecting assessors is proximity and thus the observability of (work) behavior. People with whom you have been working for at least six months and whom you trust to give critical and constructive feedback are essential.
An evaluation can be created once the self-assessment is available. However, we recommend involving at least three external assessors.
Benefit
The first insight gained from this model is to determine your current stage of development. From this, areas for development can be identified in order to reach new stages or to live more intensively at stages you have already mastered. In stressful situations, we often fall back to earlier stages and sometimes react destructively. We can also become aware of these tendencies and look for new alternatives and reactions.
Registration form
Herewith you register bindingly for the following event:
Please also read our conditions of participation. We will send you further details and organizational information with the registration confirmation.