6 Transformational Leadership Lessons from Horses
Effective leadership requires more than strategy; it demands trust, connection, and emotional intelligence – traits not able to be taught through traditional training.
Through my EQiLead program, with horses, I help leaders cultivate these skills in an immersive, experiential way. Here are six key insights into leadership, supported by research, that reveal how working with horses can transform one’s approach to leading others.
1. Self-Awareness: The Foundation of True Leadership
Research from McKinsey shows that self-aware leaders foster stronger connections and create more positive workplace cultures.
Working with horses, leaders learn how their presence affects others, building a foundation for self-awareness in leadership. This self-awareness fosters more authentic communication and stronger relationships in the corporate world.
Reflect on Yourself: Are you aware of the impact you have on others? Consider potential blind spots in your leadership approach.
Reflect on Your Team: Do you foster a culture where self-awareness is valued and practiced?
Reflect on Your Organisation: How does your organisation encourage ongoing self-reflection in leaders?
2. Emotional Regulation: Staying Grounded in High-Pressure Situations
According to McKinsey’s work on resilience, leaders who maintain emotional regulation under stress create stability and resilience within their teams. In EQiLead sessions, leaders experience firsthand how their emotional state affects a horse’s response, underscoring the need for balance and calm. This lesson translates into the workplace, reminding leaders to remain poised and supportive, especially in high-stakes situations.
Reflect on Yourself: How well do you manage emotions under pressure? What could help you stay grounded?
Reflect on Your Team: How does your team handle stress? What practices might strengthen collective resilience?
Reflect on Your Organisation: Is emotional regulation valued in your culture? How can this be promoted at all levels?
3. Building Trust and Respect: Connection First
Harvard Business Review highlights the value of trust in fostering collaboration and productivity. Horses respond to trust and respect rather than demands, teaching that true influence is built on connection. For leaders, establishing trust within their team leads to deeper loyalty and collaboration.
Reflect on Yourself: Are you consistent in building and maintaining trust?
Reflect on Your Team: How strong is trust within your team? What can you do to reinforce it?
Reflect on Your Organisation: Is trust central to your organisation’s culture? How can it be embedded more deeply?
The willingness to connect
4. Intentional Communication: Actions Speak Volumes
Effective communication, as highlighted in Harvard Business Review, is essential for guiding teams towards shared goals. Horses make it clear that every gesture, however subtle, carries meaning. In leadership, intentional communication becomes critical, reminding us that clarity and purpose in our actions align teams and drive collective goals.
Reflect on Yourself: Are your communications clear and purposeful? Where could you improve?
Reflect on Your Team: How well does your team communicate? Is there room for more intentionality?
Reflect on Your Organisation: Does your organisation promote transparent, purposeful communication?
5. Embracing Vulnerability: Authenticity as Strength
Research by Brené Brown shows that vulnerability deepens trust and team engagement. Horses have taught me that vulnerability isn’t a weakness but a strength that encourages openness. Leaders who bring this authenticity to their teams create environments where people feel valued and empowered.
Reflect on Yourself: Are you comfortable showing vulnerability in your leadership?
Reflect on Your Team: How open is your team’s culture? What steps could foster greater honesty?
Reflect on Your Organisation: How is vulnerability perceived? What changes could encourage a culture of psychological safety?
6. Balancing Connection and Intention: The Power Quotient
McKinsey research suggests that balancing empathy with clear purpose is crucial for effective leadership. In EQiLead, we explore this balance, which I refer to as the Power Quotient. Horses respond to a balanced energy; too much connection without intention causes confusion, and too much intention without empathy creates resistance. Leaders who balance these qualities foster alignment and motivation.
Reflect on Yourself: How do you balance empathy and purpose? Where might you need adjustment?
Reflect on Your Team: Does your team achieve a balance between connection and purpose?
Reflect on Your Organisation: How could development programs help leaders cultivate both empathy and purpose?
Bringing Lessons from the Round Yard to the Office
The insights gained from working with horses extend well beyond the round yard. Through experiential learning, leaders develop skills that strengthen their emotional intelligence, deepen trust, and inspire authentic engagement. At EQiLead, we immerse leaders in these experiences, allowing them to see the impact of their behaviours in real time.
If you’re ready to transform your approach to leadership, consider embarking on this unique journey through the EQiLead program. It’s a path to connecting, inspiring, and leading with emotional intelligence, grounded in real, actionable insights.
This article was orginally published on LinkedIn on November 13, 2024.
