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There are many paths to truth. There are many approaches to exploration of human nature.  All contribute to our knowledge of ourselves and our universe.  The work of Dr. Clare W. Graves with its extensions and applications in Spiral Dynamics is one of them.  It is an exceptionally powerful and useful point of view.  Introductory courses and workshops give a taste of this model and its possible applications. The Certification Courses provide for intensive study of the underlying theory and its applications. NVCC specializes in the origins of SD theory and the foundational work so students are equipped with as accurate a sense of Gravesian theory as possible, what it is and what it is not. From that base, they are well-equipped to look into other applications and variations which suit their particular needs. 

SD INTRODUCTORY PROGRAMS

Introductions to Spiral Dynamics are offered by our associates in the US, Australia, and Holland. These range from a few hours to a full day or more and may be free-standing events or in conjunction with conferences and conventions. They are meant to provide an overview of the model and to suggest possible areas for application and further work.

CERTIFICATION COURSES DESCRIPTIONS and STANDARDS

Our NVCC certification trainings are designed to provide an accurate and thorough foundation in Dr. Graves' underlying theory. We concentrate on the classic work in depth as well as how it connects to recent discoveries. While SD is being incorporated into several other viewpoints, our Certification Training is intended to provide a "clean" rendition of Dr. Graves' work and SD as close-to-the-source as possible. We are uniquely positioned to do so as operators of the ClareWGraves.com website and editor/publishers of Dr. Graves's manuscript, The Never Ending Quest. For those who find this work as intriguing and powerful as we do, for those who have had an introduction and sense the power but need to know more, and especially for those who wish to extend their work from a solid base theoretical base rather than third or fourth hand reinterpretations, our SD Certification is a necessary step.

This in-depth exploration of Spiral Dynamics and the Emergent Cyclical point of view is the first step in our certification process and is designed to bring both those who are new to this way of thinking and practitioners who already know something about the Gravesian point of view from other sources up to speed with the actual underlying theory without fluff or hype. We do not pretend to teach theories other than core SD/Graves in this initial course, though we reference some, since we have found that a real understanding of this point of view takes some time in itself. General overviews of human development and thinking are available elsewhere.

Participants "live" the levels of existence point of view as it is applied to business, personal development, education, and a host of other topic areas. The course covers assessment instruments and approaches to determining which ^vMEMEs are active within individuals and groups. It provides the basics for using the principles of Spiral Dynamics in the field, including change, transitional states, some of the temperament factors in play, and the realities of assessment. In other words, this course is built to give theoretical depth and then to answer the question, "How should who manage (or teach or lead, etc.) whom to do what, when?" Sessions are lively, interactive, and fun, but also demanding, thought-provoking, and intense. Pre-work may be required. Participants will complete a package of self-analysis instruments using both pencil-and-paper and online technologies. They will be expected to demonstrate competency applying the theory and assisting others to understand its implications. (Significant discounts are available for students who have done other training and wish to participate in our full-length SDI and to qualify them for our SDII.)

NVCC's SDII offers theoretical details of SD and the seminal thinking of Dr. Clare W. Graves, the foundation of Spiral Dynamics theory. Chris Cowan worked with Dr. Graves during the last decade of his life, and brings a unique perspective to his elegant research and the powerful ideas it has generated. Because we have been working full-time with the theory since the early 1980's, applying it in areas ranging from business management to municipal planning and social transformation, there is no better source for a clear and accurate understanding of how "the emergent, cyclical, double-helix model of adult bio-psycho-social systems development" can impact individual lives and organizational futures in positive ways. This session is for those who want to "get behind the scenes" of human emergence and really understand the deep forces that produce trends, waves, and strategies. We discuss the significance of 24 sub-variables which led to the ECLET theory and the 14 Transitional States between the 8 familiar nodal systems. The course relies on original Gravesian materials as well as updated research. The advanced course provides a venue for discussing specific applications, projects, and research initiatives with others versed in the theory and other work which complements it. Because the advanced seminar is designed both for expanding background knowledge and sharing field experiences using the theory (it represents the second step in the certification process), enrollment is limited to those who have completed our SD I.

This is the "graduate school" version of Spiral Dynamics and will include more about assessment methodologies (and pitfalls), training others in use of the theory, and explorations of the many parallel models of human development that Graves understood as well as those which have emerged subsequently. This seminar series requires the participation of other expert "Gravesians" as resources and presenters, thus it can only occur with considerable advanced planning. If you have an interest in an SD III session, please let us know.

SD III is designed for preparation of authorized SD trainers who will be able to Certify their students at the SDI level. SD I is the minimum requirement to use assessments or to conduct training in SD which we are prepared to recognize.  Participation in SD III requires certification through our SDI & II, a minimum one year's application of the technology, and presentation of a case study applying assessment from the authorized NVCC 'warehouse' in such a way as to demonstrate mastery of the material and its theoretical underpinnings.  Train-the-trainer work and practice instruction will be included.

Students who sign up for this will be required to carry out several monthly pre-course assignments with an NVC mentor. This is to prepare them for training - which will be rigorous - since they will act as authorized NVCC trainers in SD and Dr. Graves' work.  They may selection a core competency area to focus study on such as teambuilding, diversity, human resources, organizational change and transformation, leadership, management, etc.  This increased rigor is to help ensure quality of training, mastery of materials and cohesion of theory.  Many people are offering their versions of SD/Graves, but some are also distorting it.  This course will prepare a cadre of experts who can accurately present this point of view, act as regional resources, and maintain the integrity of the work as it evolves.   All applications will be subject to approval and project proposals with supporting research must clearly be outlined for acceptance.

The SD Corporate Transformation  course applies Spiral Dynamics theory to practical change and OD interventions in the public and private sectors.  It addresses issues of assessment as well as methods to structure and implement change.  It runs for 4 days as a free-standing program or for 3 days as part of a 7 day SDI/SDCT package.  Assessments are administered prior to the course.

The hands-on approach begins with a refined awareness of the individual -- whether as client or consultant -- then shifts focus to explore the dynamics of groups.  CT participants look at a range of change methodologies as well as ways to determining what kind of change is appropriate, how to set strategy, and how to move from good ideas to great outputs. 

The basic frame is SD, but a wide range of other tools is also introduced. SD CT involves a case study company which participants research and analyze during the course. They then generate recommendations based on assessment data, observations, and simulations, thus taking theoretical understanding into a real-world application. 

The course can be conducted entirely in-house or as an open seminar in which participants other than employees of the host organization are invited to participate.  If your company is interested in becoming an SD CT case project and can provide a minimal level of participants, contact NVC Consulting for further details.