My horse, Echo, is a very bright ex-lesson and show horse. He was used to knowing his job. In fact, when Echo was ridden by young children in horse shows he would listen to the announcer say the arena pattern, then follow it even if his rider was giving him incorrect signals. Echo literally won shows for his riders. When he gave lessons, Echo knew each lesson took one hour. At the one-hour mark, Echo would stop and start heading for his stall in the barn. Echo knew the goals, his role, and what the expectations were.
When I got Echo, I was seeking a riding partner for arena and trail riding. The first thing I needed to communicate was an entirely different set of expectations and rules. We were not done after one hour, and there was no announcer or riding instructor to listen to. I had to provide clarity about our goals, roles, and my expectations, and I had to communicate it in Echo’s language. I had to ask for something entirely different than what he expected. As I did so, I had to be sure he clearly understood what I was asking before I punished him. Echo’s misbehavior was not from laziness or stubbornness—his behavior at times literally “missed” because I was unclear. Providing clarity to Echo in all my communication was a critical factor to success. As we learned to understand each other, our communication got better. The clearer I was in what I asked for, the better Echo performed.
The same applies to leadership. Our teams reflect our clarity. When we are misunderstood, we need to own our communication, and take the opportunity to ensure our messages are received as intended. #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #equineassistedcoaching #experientiallearning #executivecoaching #selfawareness #emotionalintelligence
