A Lesson in Leadership

Guest sentiments:
With lunge line in hand, I stood in the lunge pen with the powerful horse before me, strangers to each other. Foreign. This simple yet personal exercise was meant to link us, man and horse, in trust and obedience. Working in behavioral health you meet remarkable people that all arrive on your doorstep with baggage, scars, trauma and a past. Much like the horse, a trust relationship needs to be built in order to lead these patients well. They need to know that they can follow, that you're safe and that they're safe. Every aspect of the lunging exercise was a powerful lesson in leadership for me as I began to understand that if I lack confidence, the horse will, too. If I lack confidence, I can't lead my patients well, I can't love them well, and healing is hindered. To direct this massive animal with a simple rope and my own hand and vocal direction, began to give me the confidence that I have it in me to lead well, especially in moments of unpredictability. It took a bit, but the moment the horse linked up with me, tethered in this bond, leading as the horse follows, had tremendous impact on how I thought of leading. I thoroughly enjoyed this life lesson, and it was probably the coolest thing I've ever done.