Powerful leadership lessons, from the best teachers,
Powerful leadership lessons, from the best teachers, in the dirtiest classroom.
pLink EQuus™
The pLink EQuus™ experience is a learning lab that creates the space for people to experiment with presence, communication, providing direction, and teaming. Combined with on-site coaching and the unbiased feedback of an equine “colleague,” the learning is wholly unique and difficult to put into words. We think that one of our past participants said it best: “There is something about sun, dirt, and horses that opens people up in a way that a business suit and boardroom table do not.”
We love all the things about pLink EQuus, and we can deploy it anywhere in the world. No prior experience with horses is required. Your feet are on the ground at all times (no riding)! It is okay to be afraid of horses: we will support you in staying within your learning zone and staying safe. The experience is transformational, and the lessons learned are lifelong.
Learning Outcomes
Individual
- Increased self and social awareness
- Self-management practice
- Increased awareness of leadership presence and impact
Organizational
- Visibility of teaming patterns and behaviors
- Visibility of communication patterns (including lack of)
- Improved relationship management
- Deepened understanding of how teams work effectively
I'll take my memories and the associated learning of my experience working with the horses with me for the rest of my life. Having the shared experience of "moving a horse" to call back to with colleagues has already helped me have several important conversations. The physicality of working with a living creature that ISN’T a human is something I can call back into my body when I need it to navigate human interactions.
There is something about sun, dirt, and horses that opens people up in a way that a business suit and a boardroom table do not.
Leader Development (Individual)
Supported by a skilled coach and gentle horses, an hour, half day, or full day of pLink EQuus lets you see yourself through the eyes of a horse while practicing new leadership skills. After brief pre-work and a safety demo, you’ll work one-on-one with a gentle horse (from the ground, not its back) and with your pLink Executive Coach. Exercises that establish communication and trust will show you the power of your leadership and stretch the boundaries of what you thought you knew. Leading others is an honor and privilege, your equine “colleague” will demonstrate to you – and they will reward you for earning their followership.
Leadership Development (Teaming)
Collective leadership is the ability of a team to function more effectively than any one individual on their own. Collective leadership is hard because group work is challenging. Exactly for this reason, pLink EQuus includes team herding exercises designed to allow teams to practice creating a plan, deciding on roles, and giving direction while tackling a novel challenge with rapidly changing circumstances. Individual behavior and team dynamics become visible as the team works together towards a common goal that may or may not include a 1,200-pound teammate and some obstacles. A follow-on discussion translates the learnings from the arena to better operating agreements “back at the office” (virtual or in-person).
It’s learning by doing. You will have a plan, it may fall apart (likely), and then you and your teammates will recalibrate and try again. You may feel the frustration of everyone doing their own thing, small wins along the way, or the sweet victory of true teamwork. In every situation, the horses will show you the truth, and your coach will support you every step of the way.
I have to admit it was one of the most impactful experiences I have had in any leadership activity. I have been in the learning and organizational development space for 30 years and much of that time has been spent developing leaders and teams. I now have another tool that can call on to create great awareness for both the individual and team.
How and why does it work?
Our mindsets, beliefs, and behaviors shape our identity, our relationships with others, and our outcomes. Traditional coaching engages the left brain (verbal intelligence) to elevate self-awareness and improve a person’s ability to intentionally choose to evolve to become more effective (in all domains of life). The “classroom” that is pLink EQuus coaching engages mind intelligence and body intelligence.
The Equine “Colleagues”
Horses’ lives depend upon intuition and communication. They seek clarity on leadership and unity among the herd. They communicate nonverbally and resolve conflict quickly and effectively. Because they don’t use language, they don’t operate off of assumptions, hold grudges, or carry emotional baggage like human beings. They are scanning their environment and listening at all levels. They are benevolent in nature and interested in you.
The Humans
The learning leader engages with their equine “colleague,” guided by a Master Equus Facilitator and their pLink Executive Coach in a small round pen. In the “dance” that is the horse and human deciding who will be leader and who will be follower, the horse mirrors the energy of the human giving direction, providing instant and unbiased feedback about the volume and clarity of non-verbal communication. It is not about fear or confidence: it is about clarity of intention and communication. It is about transcending your own stories to notice a pattern of reaction and then practicing a deliberate response, in real time with instant feedback.
The ability to work one-on-one with a horse to more clearly communicate your intentions and manage your energy is an experience in “noise cancellation,” stripping out the chatter of workplace complexities and allowing for focused, playful experimentation with a skilled guide (coach) and a patient partner (horse).
Our mindsets, beliefs, and behaviors shape our identity, our relationships with others, and our outcomes. Traditional coaching engages the left brain (verbal intelligence) to elevate self-awareness and improve a person’s ability to intentionally choose to evolve to become more effective (in all domains of life). The “classroom” that is pLink EQuus coaching engages mind intelligence and body intelligence.
The Equine “Colleagues”
Horses’ lives depend upon intuition and communication. They seek clarity on leadership and unity among the herd. They communicate nonverbally and resolve conflict quickly and effectively. Because they don’t use language, they don’t operate off of assumptions, hold grudges, or carry emotional baggage like human beings. They are scanning their environment and listening at all levels. They are benevolent in nature and interested in you.
The Humans
The learning leader engages with their equine “colleague,” guided by a Master Equus Facilitator and their pLink Executive Coach in a small round pen. In the “dance” that is the horse and human deciding who will be leader and who will be follower, the horse mirrors the energy of the human giving direction, providing instant and unbiased feedback about the volume and clarity of non-verbal communication. It is not about fear or confidence: it is about clarity of intention and communication. It is about transcending your own stories to notice a pattern of reaction and then practicing a deliberate response, in real time with instant feedback.
The ability to work one-on-one with a horse to more clearly communicate your intentions and manage your energy is an experience in “noise cancellation,” stripping out the chatter of workplace complexities and allowing for focused, playful experimentation with a skilled guide (coach) and a patient partner (horse).
When mind intelligence and body intelligence work together, the experience is transformational, and the lessons are lifelong.
The pLink Leadership Team
