Horses are herd animals, and their survival depends on a strong leader. They recognize and demand a leader who holds his position with courage and power, hence the term “Hold your horses.” Horse herd leaders emanate conviction and purpose: they are frequently challenged and always ready to defend their role. When I first began working with Echo, my riding confidence was low. My requests were frequently tentative, and often my signals had a note of questionability. Echo recognized and reflected my lack of confidence. His responses were often hesitant, and he would check to see if I really meant what I was asking by performing sloppily or simply ignoring my requests. As I built confidence and crystalized my intentions, I made my requests with more firmness and conviction. As my requests became more courageous, Echo responded with the same conviction, energy, and power. This was vital when a fast response was needed. For example, if we had to move quickly to avoid an accident or stop to prevent a collision, my courage made Echo’s response crisp and immediate. It saved our lives more than once.
Do you know someone who is incredibly grounded, confident, and courageous in their point of view? They are sure of themselves and their purpose, and they have the tenacity and focus to persevere for what they believe in, at times overcoming tremendous odds. Courage is also the discernment, willingness, and ability to admit failure or defeat, walk away from something, or change course. Then there are those who have incredibly powerful “gut instincts”—these are people who can sense danger or recognize a problem before it is visible to others. These people often say they have a “feeling in their gut” about some action or decision. Many successful executives openly admit that they make key decisions based on their “gut feeling.” These are people with the strong core of courage.
