Cristina
has found that learning is so natural that the best image to describe the
process is a biological metaphore, the DNA's helix structure.
This is not just a
review, it is an OpenBC story to start with. Cristina Andersson contacted me
over this platform, we changed a few messages, and spent an hour over the
phone. Cristina told me her story about her own transformation into a singer.
It is her insight into the art of learning that is the subject of the book...
and she learned it when learning the art of singing.
When reading the book you will not only start to like Richard Wagner's music or
Ice hockey better. Cristina has found that learning is so natural that the best
image to describe the process is a biological metaphore, the DNA's helix
structure. Thus she coined some special words you might need some time to
acquaint with. Well, if you do, under your eyes there evolves the
transformation that adults go through, in clear phases:
"Growth" once a skill is consolidating, up until a "peak"
performance. There sets in a "plateau" on a level.... until that is
not enough any more, crisis sets in and performance goes down in
"release" before "renewal" finds the place that your
letting go the old competences, views and habits lets have it. And prepares a
"quantum leap" to a new level.
Together with her coach and co-author Collin Hansen, Cristina gives
understanding to the growing pains and joy of changes in our lives; however the
book is more than pure theory. It is witnessing Cristina's learning experience
so that you can mirror your own in it, for all moments in these phases, and for
sure with jubilating success as your guiding image.
On style, you should like to contemplate citations from the sources of wisdom
that Cristina shares - the book written as a dialogue, inviting to discussions
and disagreements as much as meditation.
Having read the Kegan book just before, I am tempted to read the Winning Helix
as the dynamics of changes between developmental levels of the Kegan stages.
Seen as such, one would predict that every adult would have gone through a
major helix during adolescence, and eventually a second time "midlife".
Some however, would continue this growth experience, and start mastering the
process of developing itself.
It seems Cristina and Collin had those future masters in mind as their
audience. I wish all of us a continuing performance of this concerto :-)
Rainer Freiherr v. Leonprechting
e-HR coordinator
EU Comission