Leadership - Where Competence And Comfort Are In Harmony

I have always marveled how easy somethingprocess of dialog.
appears when we operate from the point whereA horse's natural instinct is to react, flee any
competence and comfort are in harmony.perceived danger. So as the trust in our
What will take three minutes of your time torelationship has grown so too has the level of
read, reflect thoughts taking shape over manydialog. Rhys is more willing to express his opinion
hours. Like starting a colt, writing can put meon a situation rather than leave. As I see where
outside my comfort zone, so I take a deepthe offer differs from a reaction it allows us to
breath, clear my thoughts and see what happens.align and function together, just as a team begins
Details that hold us back are far more about ourto gel when there is a common purpose, vision
internal editor than others perception. In learningand understanding.
how the pieces make up the parts I am seeingIn The Fifth Discipline, Senge suggests "In a dialog
how to learn, share and grow .... with grace.people become observers of their own thinking. In
Can you identify an action that triggered adialog a 'kind of sensitivity' develops that goes
personal learning? A moment that provided abeyond what is familiar." Rhys and I are gaining
different perspective?that sensitivity and awareness of and for each
I introduced Rhys a couple of months ago, aother.
three year old colt that joined the herd thisA dialog allows ideas to grow through participation
summer. While our conversations are silent, theyand differing opinions. Dialog, is playful. So rather
have opened a whole new level of awareness onthan time with Rhys being an effort they have
observing horse behaviours and changed mybecome an opportunity to engage.
perspective on a conversation.Indeed many of our conversations include an
A conversation can be a discussion where opinionsopinion I'd like Rhys to agree with, but rather than
are presented with a goal to make a decision, orgetting him to comply I try and present each
force an opinion or it can include dialog. Dialogaction as another way to include him. A horse can
happens when different views are presented as abe there physically but mentally they won't show
means to a new understanding. It stands toup when they get pushed out of the learning
reason then, non-verbal communication is veryzone. They may simply be going through the
much part of either a dialog or a discussion. Ifmotions.
that is the case, then starting a colt is in fact a