When I talk about horses I get one of four reactions:
1. Great! I have plenty of experience with horses
2. Cool! Tell me more!
3. I am scared of horses
4. They are livestock and I don’t get what the big deal is
When I first added equine assisted coaching to my leadership development and coaching practice, I was so anxious to share the wisdom and magic of horses with one of my clients that I tried to
overcome immense odds to prove the value of equine assisted coaching to them. I found out quickly the futility of pushing against individual learning processes and readiness.
Leaders must always begin with meeting people where they are.
While we want fast answers and results in short timeframes, we need to realistically assess what it takes to truly be successful. I have learned to listen better, and I use not just my wisdom of experience and rational thought, but connection and intuition as well, to accurately assess and respond to a person’s needs, learning style, and readiness. This higher awareness has enabled me to design learning that provides correct, impactful solutions to client’s real concerns, and at times, it has given me the courage to walk away when I recognize someone is not ready for the work.
How do you make sure you are meeting people where they are?
