If you caught last week’s message on how not to control your runaway business, you are likely wondering just how does one delegate to a horse?
In dressage, a concept we are confronted with early on is how to move away from our hand-focused way of management and to develop a communication system with the horse that leads to a partnership. Sounds similar to working with your team in business, yes?
Delegating to a horse is more akin to providing direction. As a rider, you determine the direction and the way you want to move with your equine partner. Say you want to ride a circle, a basic movement in dressage. Your goal is to have you and your horse make a round circle, starting and ending at a specific point. To accomplish this you position your horse on the circle line and ask him to move forward until he is back at the beginning point. Simple – except for all things that occur as you move forward.
Did the horse move forward in the gait you requested – walk, trot or canter? Did he go at the correct speed or tempo? Did he stay on the circle line or did you end up with an egg instead of a circle?
Many beginner riders attempt to steer the horse around the circle, rather like a car. But a horse is not a car or automated machine. He needs freedom to adjust his own balance and navigate the terrain which is not always even. He has to accommodate a rider’s shifting body weight. Attempting to steer or hold the reins around the circle line will result in you doing all the work or a disagreement on just how a circle should be navigated. Horses have opinions too, especially when they are thrown off balance.
Better to delegate to the horse his responsibility for navigating the circle. Let him determine where to place his feet and how to adjust his body to get both of you back to where you started. As you move along the circle line, the rider’s responsibility is direction and correction. Give the horse the direction, then make corrections as needed. The horse learns from the correction and improves in his ability to navigate the two of you around the circle line. The result is harmony and from there, the two of you can begin to explore more complex movements and figures, showcasing the horse’s natural physical ability with minimal interference from the rider.
Delegation in your business can work wonders, as well. Your work and business life can become less effortful, you can move further and faster than on your own two feet and the expression will be a thing of beauty for both your clients and your team.
Are you holding the reins too tightly?