Definition: A developmental concept that describes how adults make meaning, especially how they relate to thoughts, systems, and self-identity.
Explanation: As mental complexity grows, people move from being subject to their thoughts and beliefs to seeing them as objects they can reflect on.
Example: A leader who once believed “I must be seen as competent at all times” may come to question and loosen that belief.
How to Use This Tool: Use it in coaching or leadership development to explore how someone’s meaning-making may be limiting their choices. Ask: “What are you subject to right now?” and “How could you shift your perspective?”
