10: Staying on the Path

One of the stories of the New Testament describes the Pharisee Saul who engaged in the intense persecution of Jesus’ followers. One day, while riding alone on the road to Damascus, Saul was struck down and blinded by a bright light. In that moment, Saul heard the voice of God chastise him about his persecution of the Christians. Three days later, after being prayed for by a Christian, Saul recovered his sight. This experience so transformed Saul that he became an ardent apostle of Christianity, changing his name to Paul to signify the new person that he had become.

Paul’s cathartic transformation serves as a kind of implicit metaphor for how some people view the process of transformational learning. They view it as a “road to Damascus” moment of deep learning that is so catalytic and insightful that it causes an individual to make immediate, permanent changes in his behavior. Consider the leader who, through coaching, comes to the realization that his controlling behavior has alienated him from his friends, family, and co-workers.