(This
blog was originally posted on August 11, 2016)
 |
Me and Linda
Kohanov, best-selling author and
founder of
Eponaquest Worldwide
Photo Courtesy of Sara Fogan
|
In 2016, I had the honor of attending a lecture and
day-long leadership workshop led by Linda
Kohanov, the best-selling author of Tao
of Equus and founder of Eponaquest
Worldwide. That weekend’s presentation focused on the research and
principles she described in her new book titled The
Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent
Leadership. I have long been a fan of Ms. Kohanov’s writing and her
equine-assisted therapy program, but the information she shared with us about
herd leadership and the distinctive roles of an effective herd leader truly
rocked my world.
Here is a brief summary of the ideal function/goals of
each role, as explained by Linda Kohanov in The Five
Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent
Leadership:
- Leader: inspires group members to follow his or her example to achieve goals.
- Dominant: uses “force”—language, techniques, emotion—to get group members to go/do what he or she is asking and stop unproductive behavior
- Nurturer/Companion: promotes/monitors well-being of other group members
- Sentinel: Scans the environment so other group members can do their job; also looks for new opportunities for the herd to succeed.
- Predator: Uses dominant energy to stop/cut/cull unproductive/redundant individuals from the group. Also, offers additional protection to group members and can make tough decisions so the group can continue to survive/thrive.
During her presentation on July 30, 2016, Ms. Kohanov
explained how she developed the business-management model of Master Herders
from her observations of nomadic herding cultures. According to her
observations and research, a Master Herder is able to fluidly negotiate five
different roles: Leader, Dominant, Sentinel, Nurturer/Comforter and Predator.
Furthermore, a true “master herder” is adept at fluidly utilizing five
functions whenever necessary to keep his or her herd or group safe and succeed
in various environments and situations. This principle applies whether you are
the CEO of a corporation or literally caring for a herd of animals, even if that
herd just a herd of two comprised of you and your horse. In both cases, the
role of a Master Herder is to keep the “herd” safe as well as to continuously
look out for opportunities for future and continued growth and prospects, Ms.
Kohanov said.
For example, sometimes the role is forced on you, such
as when no one else in the group wants or is willing to make important
decisions and “lead” and inspire colleagues to achieve company goals. In
another instance, it may be up to you to play the role of the “heavy” (dominant)
and defuse professional quarrels between co-workers or mete out punishment if a
deadline is not met. If you are particularly observant about business trends
and economic growth or depression, you might find yourself in the role of
sentinel—always on the look-out for potential danger or growth. At other times,
you may find yourself in a situation where you can barely meet your own expected
work quotas because so much of your time is spent reassuring or consoling (nurturer/companion)
a colleague who is having personal or professional difficulties. Finally, it
may fall to you to fire employees (predator) who do not fulfill work
responsibilities.
We have all probably found ourselves in at least one
of these roles in our work-place. This model is also applicable in family and
general social contexts, such as a mother who comforts and reassures a toddler
after scrapes his knee on the playground. However, that role can quickly become
dominant when the youngster starts wandering toward the street and Mom shouts
at him to stand still before grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the curb
and oncoming traffic. And during one of his dressage tests the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Olympian
Carl Hester had to simultaneously
employ several of these roles to handle his horse when Nip Tuck spooked so they
could successfully finish their ride. I will explain how Hester successfully
demonstrated his skills as a “master herder” in my next blog.
Kohanov, Linda. The Five Roles
of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership.
2016. Novato, CA: New World Library.
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