Improving workplace relationship:
A counterculture approach through the eyes of a
local businesswoman
Guest opinion | Apr 24, 2020 | 10:13 pm | 3 min read time | 772 words | All Latest News
Kim Gratny | FullCIRCLE creative + coaching LLC founder
Lifelong learners know that growth tools come in many forms. For Emina Hastings (pictured), human resources consultant with Affiliates Management Co. (AMC), she’s experiencing what a growing number of people are realizing — that horses are consummate facilitators in the work of human development. What better time to focus on improving workplace relationships through greater self-awareness than in the midst of a pandemic that is all about fear, uncertainty and distancing? You’re invited to visualize what transpired for Emina when she teamed up with the unlikeliest of teachers — a horse named Dale.
Emina’s experience
“I describe it as a light bulb moment,” says Hastings when reflecting on how her development path was altered after reading Emotions & leadership: How a horse held up a mirror in the fall of 2019. “The idea of doing something I had never done before — face my fear of horses and receive coaching — felt like wrapping a bow on a beautiful present.” Hastings is grateful for AMC’s flexibility.
“Leadership’s open-mindedness to invest in coaching instead
of sending me to the large, out-of-state conference originally
earmarked in my development plan speaks volumes to me as
a visual learner who loves the sounds and sights of nature,”
she recalls.
Prior to horse-guided coaching, Hasting’s only experience with
horses was from afar, with a road or fence between them.
“Each coaching session required a new level of vulnerability,”
admits Hastings. “The more vulnerable and uncomfortable I was
willing to be, the more Dale chose to trust and respect me.”
Discomfort for short periods of time plays a significant role in improving performance, creativity and learning in the long run, according to research. We know how liberating it can be to process our thoughts about the present and our future ambitions. When done in the presence of a coach who integrates it with what a horse reflects back to the coachee during hands-on activities, powerful discoveries erupt during the facilitated debrief that follows each activity. Armed with those discoveries, the coachee is better equipped to repeat the activity and practice new ways of thinking, relating and behaving. Receiving real-time, immediate feedback with a different approach to the same activity reinforces growth opportunities and builds muscle memory. Muscle memory built through experience helps Emina implement what she’s learning once she’s back at work fostering relationships with internal and external audiences.
“The coachee is the focus in horse-guided coaching just like it is when you’re sitting face to face,” encourages Emina. “The biggest difference (and my favorite part) is how the hands-on activities accelerate my learning. They provide distinct clarity between how something (like leadership) looks in my mind and what it actually looks like in practice with a horse who’s naturally nonjudgmental and quick to forgive, unlike humans.”
Through coaching, Emina discovered a desire to lead and influence others. She gained some perspective by engaging in an activity with Dale that entailed moving him from where he was to another location. With the horse weighing approximately 1,100 pounds, Emina quickly realized that forcing him wasn’t an option. To her credit, her ability to manage her emotions upon realizing that the way she saw the activity unfold in her mind was much less difficult than the process turned out to be, made all the difference. She saw firsthand how leading others is also about leading ourselves and while uncomfortable at times, it can be worthwhile and rewarding.
“I’ve learned a lot about myself by venturing into rural space, stepping into my fear of horses and the discomfort of some of the activities I engaged in,” says Hastings. “This approach to coaching is beyond what I could’ve imagined. I’m learning who I am in a whole new way and about the career possibilities ahead of me. I better understand that time is required to build and establish connection and being confident in my vulnerability creates meaningful relationships. I hope capturing my experience encourages others to try something new, face their fears head-on by taking one step and influence others to do the same.”
FullCIRCLE creative + coaching LLC founder Kim Gratny combines her lifelong passion for horses and dedication to transition and transformation into a coaching and consulting business. Kim is certified in Equine-Guided Education, a member of the International Coaches Federation and the Iowa Center for Economic Success Strategic Advisory Committee. She’s part of a ministry team with Right Turn Cowboy Church, where God connects humans and horses to learn the Gospel. Her peaceful place is outdoors on the farm with her husband, their five children, friends, horses, cattle, sheep and dogs. Connect with her via email.
