Trust‐based Leadership: Creative Lessons from Intelligent Horsemanship

Abstract

Mostly unsubstantiated claims have been made that non‐traditional methods of horsemanship have much to offer as models for leadership. The claims include the achievement of rapid and efficient interactions in which trust is gained between the human and unridden foals, or even between human and horses with fear of human contact. A study has begun to explore the relationship between the so‐called ‘join‐up’ approach, and creative leadership. The basic principles of the two approaches have been compared and contrasted in pilot studies with managers on development courses. Preliminary results suggest that creative leadership, and the join‐up approach, have many features in common. A particularly significant similarity is that they are both trust‐based approaches, contrasting with more traditional approaches of human and horse management, in which the goals of the leader/trainer are achieved through reinforcement of power and through the exercise of coercive methods of maintaining dominance. The study raises deep ethical questions of how leaders deal with those over whom they have some power, and for whom they have responsibilities. We conclude that creative leadership, and trust‐based methods of horsemanship achieve involvement and cooperation by psychologically healthy means.