What Horses Are Teaching Me About Leadership

I’ve just returned from the final week of my Master Herder Equine Leadership Certification—a program rooted in herd dynamics, socially intelligent leadership, and nature-based wisdom. A bit of a mouthful, I know. It’s already shifted how I think about leadership, power, and how we meet the emerging future and uncertainty.

And I want to bring you along for the ride.

This kind of leadership isn’t about control, charisma or having everything figured out. It’s about presence, coherence, and social & emotional intelligence. And it involves horses—who are masters at reading energy, responding to congruence, and reflecting exactly what we’re broadcasting (whether we realize it or not). They are masters at this because their lives depend on it as non-predatory herbivores. Safety in numbers; cooperation over competition.

On our final morning, Linda Kohanov—the founder of this work—opened the paddock gate and let three of her horses into the open space where our group was gathered.

The horses visited and teased the ones still in the paddocks. They galloped in playful bursts. And eventually, they made their way over to us. One by one, they stepped into our circle of chairs and took their place—as participants. Each one engaging in their own way. Curious. Grounded. Present.

They knew they belonged in the circle, too.

When we open to new possibilities—with humans and more-than-humans—something shifts. The usual hierarchy dissolves. The script disappears. And what emerges instead is a shared intelligence. A more intricate web of connection and depth of outcomes.

That experience with the horses wasn't just beautiful—it was a reminder.

Leadership isn’t always about direction or control. Often, it’s about sensing what’s emerging and being willing to meet it with curiosity.

This is the difference between the dominance-submission style of leadership and collaborative & socially intelligent leadership.

One definition of 'leader' that deeply resonates with me—offered by Otto Scharmer—is this:

A leader is defined as someone capable of stepping from current reality into the unknown and sensing into possibilities that exist in the emerging future.

Kinda sounds like something we all need to cultivate in this current iteration of our world, doesn't it? Being able to be with the Unknown and change in a way that brings vitality rather than depletion. #flipthescript

Not just in work settings, but with our families, communities, creative projects and life transitions. Especially now—as many of us stand looking at what was, straining to glimpse what’s next, wondering when this will all be over.

In the weeks ahead, I’ll be sharing more stories and insights from this work—because I believe it holds something essential for these wild, uncertain times.

For now, I’ll leave you with this:

Where in your life are you waiting for clarity—when what’s really needed is presence?