Further to my previous piece about the relationship between awareness and presence in leadership, I’m going to examine their impact on leadership effectiveness. In particular, I will look at the effect of awareness and being present in communication, adaptability, emotional intelligence, decision-making and culture, and the relevance of equine assisted activities in leadership development.

1. Improved Communication: Leaders who listen actively and communicate clearly and empathetically, fostering open channels of communication and building trust within their teams. Working alongside horses will highlight immediately any ambiguous and unclear messages from individuals and teams, compelling open and honest communication.

   2. Increased Adaptability: Awareness of the external environment and being present enable leaders to better navigate change, adapt to new challenges, and seize opportunities, making them more resilient and proactive. Horses are masters at navigating uncertainty enabling them to have thrived for millions of years in changing environmental conditions.

   3. Strengthened Emotional Intelligence: The combination of awareness and presence boosts a leader’s emotional intelligence, improving their ability to manage their own emotions and understand and influence the emotions of others positively. Horses are highly sensitive beings and can sense whether our actions and intentions are congruent.

4. Enhanced Decision-Making: Leaders who are both aware and present can make more informed and thoughtful decisions. They are less likely to be swayed by biases or react impulsively, considering a broader range of factors and potential impacts before acting. People think of horses as flight animals, but in fact they discern whether they need to expend the energy to run from a situation. For example, they will distinguish if the smoke in the air is from a BBQ or a bushfire, not simply smell smoke and flee.

    

   5. Positive Organisational Culture: Leaders who practice awareness and presence contribute to creating a culture of mindfulness within their organisation, which can lead to higher levels of employee engagement, satisfaction, and overall well-being. Horse leaders sole motivation is the “health, harmony and unity” (June Gunther, TeachingHorse LLC) of the herd. When we lead horses in equine-based activities, they expect the same from us.

   In summary, the relationship between awareness and being present is foundational to effective leadership. By developing both, leaders can enhance their ability to lead with empathy, clarity, and agility, driving positive outcomes for themselves, their teams, and their organisations. And an effective way to enhance these leadership qualities is through experiential equine assisted learning programs.

“What is the essence of what you do here at Leading Edge?” This question was recently posed to us by a leading Australian professional development educational organisation.

Simultaneously and without hesitation, both my business partner, Alice, and I answered, “It’s about self-awareness and being present.”

The relationship between awareness and being present in leadership is deeply interconnected and significantly impacts a leader’s effectiveness. Here’s how these concepts relate and their effects on leadership:

1. Awareness in Leadership: Awareness in leadership refers to a leader’s conscious understanding and sensitivity to both their internal state and the external environment. This includes self-awareness, emotional intelligence, situational awareness, and the awareness of others’ needs, emotions, and perceptions. Leaders who cultivate awareness have a better grasp of their strengths and weaknesses, can empathize with their team, recognize the dynamics within their organization, and are attuned to broader market and societal trends.

2. Being Present: Being present, or mindfulness, in leadership means that a leader is fully attentive and engaged in the current moment. Rather than being distracted by past events or future anxieties, a present leader listens actively, observes deeply, and makes decisions with a clear focus. This presence allows leaders to respond rather than react, making space for thoughtful decision-making and genuine interactions with team members.

3. The Relationship: Awareness and being present are mutually reinforcing. Awareness enhances a leader’s ability to be present. By being aware of one’s thoughts, emotions, and the surrounding environment, a leader can more effectively engage in the present moment. Conversely, being present enhances awareness by allowing leaders to notice more about themselves and their environment, recognizing subtle cues and underlying issues that might otherwise be overlooked.

Here at Leading Edge, our unique approach to leadership and team development combines theory, models and tools with experiential learning alongside our herd of horses. The result is an incredible opportunity to see the theory in practice, to deepen awareness of self, others and the environment, and to witness the impact of one’s leadership style, communication and approach to others. If we are willing to take onboard their leadership lessons, horses are a leveller that no human can match.

As I always say, “Quite simply, they make the invisible, visible.”