BALZAC, Alta. – For Faisil Ali, leading a horse around the ring is just like learning to manage a two-year-old child.
Doug Chisholm discovered that spending time with a horse revealed his own failings as a manager.
Both work with the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and were among the nine professional managers who were interested in honing their leadership abilities by taking a horse training session with Nancy Lowery.
Her program, called the Natural Leader, is offered to corporate clients as well as 4-H members in the Calgary area.
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Lowery is a former project manager for several high powered Calgary corporations and learned her people skills while working as a horse trainer. She said people who learn how to communicate properly with a horse can transfer those skills back to the workplace where people with a variety of abilities and preconceived notions are required to run projects as a team.
She combines the western flavour with the urbane because people like the idea of going back to Calgary’s roots, even if they have never been near a horse or a farm.
“A lot of people’s experience with horses is going to the Stampede or on a trail ride,” she said.
Ali and Chisholm enjoyed the horse experience, even though both had to be coaxed into the ring.
Ali confessed he is not comfortable around large animals, but he quickly adapted to the horse and by drawing on his experience as a new father and a manager, he saw he needed to deliver consistent messages and exhibit confidence.
“This offered some good dynamics and I think in the workplace it would have some positive effects.”
As Chisholm tried to persuade Zoe the mare to move in a circle in the ring, the horse appeared confused when he gave directions and he quickly saw where he was erring.
“She is less of a problem than I am. It’s me being inconsistent,” Chisholm said.
“She’s failing because I’m failing.”
Lowery’s classes teach people to introduce themselves to the horse, respect personal space and know how to deliver clear messages so tasks are satisfactorily completed.
Working with a horse can also build self assurance and show managers where they may be making mistakes in dealing with four legged or two legged employees. They gain confidence working with teams and learn to say sorry and thank you.
“The more confident you appear, the more they will follow your lead,” Lowery told her students.
“Talking louder and faster does not work.”
