When Asa Irwin, Major Gifts Officer at Friends of Youth signed up for Emotionally Intelligent Leadership through the Way of the Horse, she wasn’t sure what to expect.  ‘I didn’t have any preconceived idea of what was going to happen, but I was very curious about working with the horses.’  Offered at a special rate to graduates of the University of Washington’s Nonprofit Management Program, the one-day leadership training helped participants:

• Learn the communication keys of body language and how those keys affect their relationships
• Gain greater awareness of their emotions
• Understand the importance of leading with emotional honesty
• Develop their personal presence and self-confidence as a leader.

Throughout the day, leaders from the nonprofit sector worked one-on-one and in small groups with the horses to practice leadership and EQ skills.  ‘It was nice to meet different people who work in the same field.  I also really enjoyed that we were outdoors, in a non-typical learning environment,’ says Asa.

In one exercise, Asa and her colleagues were instructed to move a single horse, with no halter or lead rope, through an obstacle course.  ‘The key is staying focused on each step in the process,’ reflects Asa.  ‘If you lose your focus as a leader, the horse mirrors that for you.  They stop following you.  Or they walk away from you.  They sense your distraction or lack of commitment in that moment.  The most significant learning for me,’ continues Asa, ‘was coming to understand that as a leader, I need to make and keep my commitment to each step in the process.’

Another attendee, Catherine Stehr, MA, also appreciated the effectiveness of working with horses to develop leadership skills.  ‘The day was a special experience in how much horses have to teach us about ourselves as leaders.  They are so perceptive and honest.  The Epona Meadows herd showed me how being congruent in my spoken and unspoken language can bring me closer or farther away from my team and our goals.’

Asa adds, ‘It’s rare to be in a situation where you can actually practice leadership and get instant feedback.  I was able to take the concepts and make them real for myself.  If I tried something, and didn’t get the response I was looking for from the horses, I could change my approach and try again.’

‘Sometimes’ she remembers, ‘I was a little uncertain about trying something with the horses.  I realized, though, that as leaders we all have to confront our fear and discomfort.  I learned how important it is to approach that sort of situation in a way that your leadership and integrity stay intact.  The horses were so kind and generous.  When I got it, they let me know right away and that was powerful reinforcement.’

Both Asa and Catherine were impressed with Amanda’s facilitation.  ‘Amanda is an amazing and insightful teacher, leader, and guide,’ comments Catherine.  ‘She uses humor, candor and practical experience to help her clients find clarity for themselves.’

‘Amanda was able to give real life examples of how to integrate the principles we learned in the arena into real life’, says Asa.  ‘She knows how to listen and allow space for people to think and talk through things.’

‘The most important thing for me,’ Asa notes, ‘is that this training was actually about more than leadership at work.  We all have chances, in every aspect of our life, to be a leader and foster leadership in other people.  This experience was an authentic life lesson for me.’

Catherine agrees.  ‘What I learned about the way I show up as a leader is invaluable to me and the work I do. If you really want to learn to be an effective leader, Emotionally Intelligent Leadership through the Way of the Horse is a must.’