Lead from your heart

Horses are majestic creatures that can teach us a lot about leadership, which is now common knowledge. But how they do that certainly appeals to the imagination. They make us sense a form of leadership that we cannot immediately adopt without first  experiencing it . 

How people learn about leadership from horses? Very simple, by leading a horse in freedom, no dominance but connecting leadership. Horses are extremely sensitive to our emotions and respond to subtle signals we send. Leadership is all about developing a deep connection between the human leader and the horse. Because during interactions with horses, humans take on the temporary role of leader, in a herd of two:  the human and the horse . 

During interactions and exercises, the human must put his or her ego aside and prioritize the horse's well-being. A horse leader understands that building respect and trust is crucial to effective communication and collaboration. That's what all the exercises during our leadership workshops are based on:  exchanging respect and trust .

             "The thin line between respect and trust is the subject of the "silent chat" between the human and the horse. We also call it leading from the heart."

Leading from your heart means that you  are in touch with your own emotions  and can understand and control them. The heart acts as a compass that guides the leader toward compassion, empathy and understanding for others. Just as a horse responds to the subtle signals a leader sends, team members also respond to their leader's energy and emotions. A leader who can lead from the heart can create harmony and cooperation within a team. 

Horse leadership or leading from your heart

One of the most important aspects of equine leadership is the ability to create an authentic connection between leader and team members (whether horses or people). Instead of trying to exert control, or falling into emotions, a horse leader looks for ways to motivate and inspire each individual. By allowing room for autonomy and personal growth, leaders can create an environment in which team members thrive. 

            "A beginning leader wants to work on intermediate horsemanship. An intermediate leader wants to work on advances horsemanship, but an advanced horseman works on the basics".

Equine leadership initially invites leaders and team members  to get to know themselves better  and develop awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses. It enables leaders to make effective decisions and respond well to challenges. Team members respond respectfully to such authority, because it is not control but a support that helps them grow. And that is also felt by the entire team. In addition, this form of leadership helps to better understand the needs, qualities and capabilities of all team members, which promotes team development... which ultimately leads to higher productivity. 

Equine leadership, or leading from the heart, offers us valuable lessons that are useful in the work environment but also on a personal level. Personal leadership  is a much broader concept because the consequences of our actions and emotions extend far beyond the walls of the employer. Working on personal leadership leads to inner balance and greater existential well-being. 

🐴 Horse Act guides teams and individuals to more balance, connection and better performance. So growing and learning with horses. The learning process between human and horse leads us to more decisiveness, clarity and acceptance. Horse Act organizes workshops, coaching and team building activities.