The Ying and Yang of Leadership

Focus and awareness are the ying and yang of visionary leadership. Without a balance between the two there is always the danger of leaving our followers behind in our dust. In a herd of horses maintaining that balance can literally be a matter of life and death.

You can tell a lot about human leadership style by watching someone walk with a horse. Most people invariably get ahead of the horse and end up dragging it along behind them on the lead rope. If the leader is given a definite goal or destination or a time constriction the disconnection between the human and the horse increases.

In the corporate world focus and vision and drive towards the goal are perceived to be admirable qualities in a leader. As an employer and small business owner I have always had to focus and drive towards my goals. My horses however, have taught me that successful visionary leadership must encompass other equally important qualities.

While we are egocentric enough to think that what happens at the office is a matter of life and death horses in the wild do need strong leadership for their very survival. As prey animals living in a world of predators they must be constantly aware of potential threats lurking in their environment. The herd leader must balance the needs of his herd with constant awareness of the immediate physical world around them. He must balance focus and awareness equally to keep everyone alive.

Humans, on the other hand, have evolved as predators. We have learned to focus on our prey and move directly towards it. When we are on the hunt we tune out surrounding distractions so that we can concentrate solely on our target. In the corporate world this predator mentality often results in leaders who, in their drive to succeed, either tune out their employees or simply drag them along behind.

Dwight Eisenhower said "Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it". To persuade my horses to walk with me, rather than behind me, I need to be aware of their motivators. I must convince them that their own goals and needs can also be served while following my vision. If I provide the leadership they need many them come with me without prompting. Some are less enthused and need an encouraging tap on what we call their 'Go Button" which is a spot on their side. Once we are moving forward we continue on side-by-side so that we can maintain our awareness of each other's actions.

An effective visionary leader must at all times be aware of what is happening within and around his team. He must know where the "GO buttons' are and how to tap into them. Most importantly he must be aware that while he is heading along on the path to his goal that he hasn't left his herd behind at the watering trough.

Laura Hunter - As owner and director of THE LEAD HORSE Laura relies on her herd of equine leadership experts to provide real-life training to her clients. http://www.theleadhorse.ca

Power Of Faith