Liberty horsemanship, as its name implies, is performed without any means of force, such as ropes, whips, saddle, or bridle. Since the horse is “at liberty” to choose what to do with the person every moment, it requires:
· Clarity- of communication, precision
· Connection – relaxation, trust
· Courage – willingness/desire to do what is asked
As I worked liberty with Amigo, he got stuck when I asked him to come to me. He would stop at the outside the edge of the arena, unsure if it was safe to approach. When I walked up and laid a rope on his neck, he recognized he was to come to me and did so willingly. With this clearer communication and soft “safety net,” Amigo got more confident, and soon no longer needed the rope signal to come to me at my request.
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A leader I worked with was frustrated when they asked a potential team member to provide a description of their dream job. The team member didn’t want to offend the leader by not fitting the leader’s expectations or aim too high or too low. This resulted in a circuitous, frustrating game of “What do you want? /What do you need?”
Then the leader provided:
· Clarity - suggesting the person bring them a rough first draft
· Connection - saying they could review it together, and
· Courage – asked for a date to have the draft review, committing to move forward as soon as the draft was ready
With that safer approach, the person had the courage to provide it, and they moved forward quickly.
Fear of failure can stop people from succeeding, taking initiative or being accountable. Wise and discerning leaders can recognize and address fear of failure, and wise team members communicate what they need to perform.
Where is fear of failure getting you or your team stuck? What to do you need to do to get unstuck?
#equineassistedcoaching #experientiallearning #equineassistedlearning #Leadershipdevelopment #executivecoaching #teambuilding #clarity #connection #courage #icfcoach #emotionalintelligence #selfawareness #horses #empathy
