Leadership

Mindset is everything: How to approach systemic change to accelerate climate innovation?

Szilvia Szabó — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 10:46:26 +0000

Mindset is everything: How to approach systemic change to accelerate climate innovation?

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Leadership

Systemic Change

Education

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Leadership

We often hear that `we need systemic change` to address the climate crisis, which sounds like a smart answer, but how should we actually do that?

Mike Townsend, Founder and CEO of Earthshine Group, spent more than a decade searching for the answer and working with organisations to adopt changes on a systemic level to advance sustainability initiatives.

In addition to running the Earthshine Group, Mike also serves on advisory boards and teaches courses on Sustainable Development, Sustainable Business Strategy, and The Business of Change.

He is an author and editor of various books, such as Reframing the Game or The Quiet Revolution, and a regular contributor to Huffington Post, Edie.net, The Guardian, Medium, and others.

You work a lot with universities and educational institutions. What is your impression of how the next generation is facing the climate crisis?

Since I have been working with educational institutions, I have noticed an increasing amount of anxiety among students each year over the last decade based on genuine concerns over the climate crisis and how this will affect everybody’s lives and worries over the state of national and global politics, and the rise of far-right extremism.

It really is a tough and frustrating time, especially as too many of our leaders are falling short of what we need right now.

Mike Townsend, Founder and CEO of Earthshine Group

Yet, we must re-find hope and reclaim agency to act and create a better future.

What I can see is that many students come to Copenhagen from other countries to capture learning, insights, and practical examples that they can take with them and to try to make some form of meaningful change back home.

Many of them are asking, what is my place in this crazy world? How can I make it better?

We take learnings from real-life cases, such as the renewable energy transformation of Ørsted, a Danish energy company that made most of its money from fossil fuels but changed course and became the world’s largest producer of offshore wind energy by 2019.

But we can also look at city developments, like the green neighbourhoods of Østerbro, public transit solutions, cycling infrastructure and urban planning in Copenhagen, or new circular economy business models popping up in Malmö.

Based on their learning experiences, some are getting involved in climate and political activism, while others are looking to become the next generation of business leaders to change the way things are done in commerce.

Some are looking deeply into systems change, particularly the dysfunctional aspects of capitalism, to find a better way.

All approaches are “good work” and help move the dial, particularly when joining forces with other like-minded groups. However, we need to be mindful of timing.

The best way to go is to explore the alignment between your own passions and interests, with your own specific skills and insights, and the opportunities you see to make a real difference: find your own ‘sweet spot’, get the support you need, join up with others in your space, and go for it.

We need this change to happen right now. The decisions we make today will determine the course of the next 30 years and beyond.

By working with various organisations in different cultures, have you noticed a common dominator or distinctive differences when it comes to adopting sustainability?

If we try to inject sustainability thinking into the wrong cultural context, we will not get very far.

So, it’s essential to get the right values, mindsets and behaviours in place if we are to have any chance of integrating sustainability thinking and solutions in the right way.

There are key attributes characterise a culture where sustainability can have a soft landing, in my opinion:

Honesty, coupled with the recognition of where we are. Here, we need leaders who are able to face the truth that business as usual is dead.
A mindset of transformation mixed with active curiosity - practically being open to finding new ways of doing things.
Be open to genuine collaboration in developing radical, new solutions, recognising that no single actor can develop and deliver the necessary changes we need to see.
Foster a culture of courageous leadership and being unafraid to experiment and try bold new approaches.

You designed a `model for transformation` to enable systemic change. How does that work?

We developed a model for transformation over the last 15 years based on a comprehensive theory of change. Conventional theories of change tend to be inadequate - often relying on `nudging` and bottom-up change initiatives - lacking impact, penetration and pace.

Our model is designed to help people and organisations navigate risks, opportunity and complexity in a more efficient way. We call this our ‘Star System’ – a multi-level approach to help our clients navigate transformational change, starting with recognising that we cannot become a fully sustainable enterprise in isolation.

For example, we cannot become truly ‘circular’ if we don’t engage with our customers and supply chains and develop genuine business model innovation.

We also need to engage with policymakers to develop appropriate and supportive policy architecture, as well as drive the necessary changes within our system of economy.

Everything changes! And, most likely, we’ve never experienced this level of change before. This means that we’ll also need to look at developing and enhancing our capabilities so we can deliver more successful transformations.

Capability development is, therefore, at the heart of our model.

However, not everyone is ready to engage in this holistic way, with some falling back on the false notion of “easy sustainability” based on superficial initiatives and incremental change.

What is your experience with bigger-scale projects you have worked on? What are the typical challenges, and how can you achieve tangible results?

Looking at key actors to make change happen, you will find no shortage of challenges.

Will politicians, worried about their short-term political and election cycles, fully engage when reducing consumption is hardly seen as a ‘vote winner’?

Will business leaders - often highly successful within a linear economy - adapt their business models and overcome the inertia to change?

Will banks and investors lacking real incentives reboot their expectations for financial and investment success in the twenty-first century, let alone the need for all of us citizens to recalibrate our own views on what the ‘good life’ can look like in a more sustainable world?

The starting point is all about mindset, such as shifting from being a passive consumer towards being an active citizen.

For example, our Sustainability as a Mindset programme is all about developing ‘Both+And’ thinking, which enables you to see past false binary choices such as sustainability vs. economy and look for solutions that are not exclusive - find a new `sweet spot` and developing sustainable solutions that also work commercially.

Our current definition of “success” in life has become somewhat, perversely, interwoven with our buying and consumption habits as an outward display of our status and achievement.

How can you present and embrace sustainability as a road to innovation?

On current terms, we cannot simply hope to “comply” our way out of the climate crisis.

Authentic sustainability is the route to enhanced business performance through creating new market opportunities, de-risking our business models, finding new ways of making sustainable income, and capturing eco-efficiency benefits, with less money spent on resources and waste, energy and carbon, and so on.

In this scenario, sustainability becomes the catalyst for positive innovation and business change.

In our courses, we take a deep-dive exploration into the businesses that demonstrate real insights, take an analytical approach and embark on live company visits so people can see, touch and question for themselves.

"Our embodied learning approach is ten times as effective as conventional training and leaves a longer-lasting, positive impact."

We also like to take participants through a real immersion in nature, getting out of their comfort zone and reconnecting with nature, self and others.

This embodied learning approach is ten times as effective as conventional training and leaves a longer-lasting, positive impact.

With each course we run, we aim to assist attendees in finding the solution that works for them while challenging their thinking.

We need to innovate like crazy and deliver transformational change.

For instance, in our Going Circular course, we are searching for new ways of making money through non-consumption and non-destructive ways, examining how the winners in this space are already doing it for real – and learning how this can be done, with the nuts-and-bolts of new business models.

Ultimately, despite the scale of the challenge, the pressing time frames involved, and the pushback from dark forces, we can re-find HOPE: Through engaging in these conversations with each other, we can realise the shared actions we can take forward in resolving our common challenges.

But we do need to see more courageous leadership, taking more risks, engaging in way more authentic innovations, and daring to fail, learn and try again.

With the right mindset, everything is possible!

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Am I filling my boots? Changemakers battle with imposter syndrome

Bronagh Loughlin — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 10:48:14 +0000

Am I filling my boots? Changemakers battle with imposter syndrome

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Imposter syndrome is not a mental health issue but is a strong set of intrusive thoughts and feelings involving getting anxious and not experiencing success internally.

Usually, people experiencing this emotional whirlwind are high-performing in external, objective ways. However, they still feel like ‘a phoney’ or a fraud’ and question and doubt their abilities. They are continuously anticipating their fraudulence and inadequacy to come to light.

There is added stress with imposter syndrome to keep up the ‘charade’; that time is running out, and they will be uncovered.

Generally, imposter syndrome creeps up when you begin to appear publicly or in front of other people.

As a leader trying to make change happen, initiate climate action or raise awareness about societal issues, putting yourself out there into the world is part of the deal.

Some common characteristics of imposter syndrome include undervaluing contributions, self-doubt, and attributing success to external factors.

A survey by NerdWallet uncovered that 78 per cent of business leaders experience imposter syndrome, and it causes 59 per cent to consider leaving their role.

Sabotaging self-success, constant fear of not living up to people’s expectations, setting unrealistic expectations, and burnout are also known to occur.

Burnout enters the equation here because it is very common for people to push themselves too intensely to overcome a sense of incompetence.

Slowly, their work becomes more of a chore than a source of passion, purpose, creativity, and meaning because they are burning the candle at both ends.

Imposter syndrome drives anxiety and fear of not being good enough and can easily lead to burnout and mental health issues. Image: Pexels

If you are working in the sustainability or social justice space, leading an ambitious project, you’ve probably experienced imposter syndrome before on some level.

It is partly because you are not just exposing yourself but have the added challenge of trying to get people to ‘buy’ into your mission and, most likely, your passion.

You may think to yourself: ‘Why should they listen to me?’, ‘There is probably someone more suitable to drive them to make these changes’, the list goes on.

Imposter syndrome is something I feel regularly and has only intensified since I transitioned from a freelancer to a social entrepreneur by founding Purpose Content Studio, which set out to change the climate narrative. Now, I find myself feeling out of my depth and far outside of my comfort zone.

It doesn’t sound so bad when you see the word ‘owner’, but the title ‘CEO’, ‘Founder’, or ‘Director’ definitely causes some uneasiness, particularly for those who do not have the highest levels of self-esteem, like me. I think it is because a lot of pressure comes from these titles.

Especially when operating in arenas where change is vital, there is real pressure that because you are a ‘changemaker’ or ‘leader’, you must have all the answers and constantly achieve small or big wins.

Just as many are hesitant to adopt sustainable changes or take climate action for fear they won’t add up to much of an impact, those who suffer from imposter syndrome worry their contribution won’t matter.

Like most people reading this, I have put in the time, energy, and hard work to get to where I am today.

There’s much evidence to suggest I am wearing the right shoes, but still, my mind needs some convincing, and I worry I need to go up a size and a half.

Some may even think imposter syndrome is not a big deal, that it has more to do with self-image and esteem.

However, research has found that it can impact work performance and relationships, dripping into other areas of your life; in my experience, I’ve found myself suddenly not feeling competent or good enough in other instances.

The premise of imposter syndrome is that you are not good enough, and your current portfolio of achievements is the simple result of luck, leaving you with that little voice in your head of self-doubt despite success – washing away the enjoyment of your achievement.

Our minds are like sponges, and just as we can recondition to improve our well-being and self-esteem, continuously thinking poorly of ourselves can do the exact opposite.

Of course, ‘snapping out of it’, as some would say, is a lot easier said than done.

Despite imposter syndrome being incredibly common in the social entrepreneur and impact innovator community, many still feel ashamed to speak openly about experiencing it.

In saying that, silence and isolation are what keep these demons kicking.

You’d be surprised to learn how many people in your circle are dealing with these exact struggles, feeling inadequate and worthless. In order to deal with imposter syndrome and replace these feelings of incompetence with beliefs of adequacy and greatness, we need to encourage conversations.

Imposter syndrome has to stop being a hush-hush topic and be understood as something we all struggle with at some point, reframing it as a signal that it is time for growth and good things are pending.

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How to keep the spark alive while changing the World?

Bronagh Loughlin — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 12:41:22 +0000

How to keep the spark alive while changing the World?

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Business leaders do not exactly have a 9 to 5 schedule, and coupling it with the pressure to make a positive impact can be extremely stressful.

But being a purpose-driven leader is more than simply selling a product or your brand to consumers.

According to research from Steve Bagi on Interdisciplinary Perspectives on International Leadership, sometimes burnout among leaders results from their expectations to be innovative and enthusiastic constantly about encouraging their organisation to continue to move forward.

A big challenge for leaders in the impact space is maintaining a healthy lifestyle while working for a mission or towards a cause they deeply care about.

Symptoms of burnout include feeling overwhelmed and unsatisfied about achievements, stressed out, mentally and physically exhausted.

Those working in the climate action and social impact arena may actually be more prone to these feelings and states of mind.

Eco-anxiety

Besides business-related issues, there is an increasing trend of experiencing eco-anxiety.

This emotional status is defined as the fear of environmental damage or ecological disaster, linked to extreme worry about current and future harm to nature caused by human activity and climate change.

Researchers use the term “eco-anxiety” to describe chronic or severe anxiety related to humans’ relationship with the environment.

Eco-anxiety can increase stress and lead to burnout. Image: Getty Images

This type of anxiety can be derived from the awareness of a rising risk of extreme weather events, losses of livelihood or housing, fear for future generations, and feelings of helplessness.

The increasing number of environmental crisis issues are not only frustrating, frightening or shocking to some people but can become the source of constant anxiety.

They can also feel guilty or anxious about the impact of their generation on the environment. For the most part, it is said to affect young people.

However, it is also likely to impact those working in sustainability, regardless of their age bracket. These emotions can result in leaders feeling increased stress, overworking to meet objectives and then experiencing burnout to a point where they find it hard to get back up again.

Keep going

There are some simple, practical ways how to keep the spark alive. The key is to find what works for you and be conscious about keeping it on your agenda.

The emotional attachment to what you are working on can make you more involved and prioritise the big mission over your own self-care.

Disconnecting from work and taking part in non-work-related social activities can be more difficult for impact-driven entrepreneurs and employees.

Establishing a work zone area can help if you do not have an office or work remotely. In addition, when you finish for the day and close that door or shut down the work computer, it is best to leave the work in that room or space.

A great way to escape a vicious circle of being constantly at work is to schedule time for yourself.

Taking time off is just as important as working. Image: Zach Betten, Unsplash

Taking time off is arguably just as crucial as working. It enables you to recharge your batteries so you can come back the next day pumped full of energy with renewed enthusiasm.

Being available 24 hours, 7 days of the week is not sustainable regardless of your reason for burning the candle on both ends.

Setting boundaries and knowing when to say ‘no’ is essential in avoiding burning out. Committing to more than we can handle is increasingly common as we as humans want to live up to people’s expectations of us.

Another thing that may help you when it comes to leaving work behind is if you have a hobby that takes your mind off from your to do list.

Be empathetic to others and yourself

Having a mission is not always enough to keep up motivation, although creating a safe and supportive environment will see you, your team and the organisation thrive.

According to a study from 2020 carried out by Kronos HR specialist company, employees are calling out for empathetic leadership to combat burnout. This is likely to still ring true, even in the post-COVID-19 working environment.

To stop putting so much pressure on yourself and understand that you are a human being could be a significant step toward lowering the risk of burnout.

It is okay not to be perfect and not get every single task done perfectly.

More research has found perfectionism and burnout often go hand in hand. So trying not to sweat the small things can prove to be valuable.

Being conscious and addressing burnout will help you find coping strategies, and even if you find yourself in this state, you may come back a stronger leader without considering it a defeat.

This mentality applies to managing your team, so dealing with burnout can become part of your culture and help you achieve your goals while working towards your mission together.

Headline image: Getty Image

This content is a piece of an article originally published in the "Make change happen" issue of Profit with Purpose Magazine.

The Summer 2022 edition of the magazine is focusing on making cities sustainable and inclusive, and is available here >>>

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“I hope to see a better world for every living organism.”

Bronagh Loughlin — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 11:41:52 +0000

“I hope to see a better world for every living organism.”

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Sustainability

Leadership

Award

Sustainable lifestyle

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Sustainability

Awards

Courageous sustainability leader, Godfrey Mchunguzi Oyema, has been recognised for his extensive work in advocacy and igniting change.

The importance of leaders within the sustainability sector cannot be overstated. Sustainability leaders have the skills and courage to challenge industries and business as usual, while acting as the voice for the people.

The Sustainability Leader of the Year Award hosted by the Earth Mother Community non-profit organisation aims to recognise the work of leaders fighting climate change and making the world a better place for all.

Winner of this year’s award, Godfrey Mchunguzi Oyema, works as Assistant Environmental Officer with the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and shares his thoughts on what keeps him going.

His career background has extensively been in wildlife conservation, human ecology, and sustainability, which lead him to the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Kasulu, Tanzania.

Additionally, Godfrey uses his social media networks to spread awareness of the environmental issues we currently face and encourage people to take action.

His passion for advocating for sustainability issues was ignited during his school years.

“It’s been quite a journey; I’ve worked with many different organisations in environmental conservation, biodiversity, and wildlife protection,” Godfrey says.

He shares that his personal motivation for his work is to “see a better world for every living organism.”

Godfrey Mchunguzi Oyema, sustainability expert and activist, winner of the Sustainability Leader of the Year Award

Godfrey further explains:

“When I say every living organism, I speak about people, plants, and animals.

Without a better, balanced world regarding the environment, economy, and society, our lives, businesses, communities, and societies cannot be what they are.

So putting these three components together really motivates me to ensure they stay in balance for all living organisms on this planet.”

He kickstarted his sustainability career in 2010, working with the Tanzania Commission for Science & Technology as their Associate Country Programme Coordinator. In this role, Godfrey established the Tanzania Biodiversity Information Facility (TanBIF) Portal and co-published the first-ever National Biota Checklist, which included more than 13,000 biological species.

Godrey now serves as the Assistant Environmental Officer at UNHCR.

Following his work here, Godfrey went on to work as the Senior Biodiversity Officer at a consultancy company, where he continued to shine as an expert in biodiversity and environmental management.

His impressive career continued as he began working as the Environmental Compliance & Forestry Manager for Unilever in 2015. Here he was responsible for implementing their Sustainable Living Plan, which linked environmental objectives to business operations.

While working with Unilever, Godfrey achieved the Rainforest Alliance Certificate for three consecutive years and created numerous plans to prevent biodiversity loss and restore ecosystems.

Also, he worked on the development and implementation of their Environmental and Social Strategies.

Later, he worked as a Freelance Consultant, providing professional advice and expertise on sustainability issues using his diverse experience.

Now, he serves as the Assistant Environmental Officer at UNHCR. His work with this refugee agency has centred around offering advice on alternative sustainable cooking energy programmes, ensuring they are sustainable and compliant.

Godfrey shares what keeps him going:

“The issue of sustainability needs to start from home, and this needs to rise from the fact that environmental resources are vital to us. We need to protect, conserve, and sustainably use these limited natural resources.

My value has always been to be a custodian and take the responsibility of managing our limited natural resources and taking this knowledge to the general public, family, friends, and colleagues.”

He strongly believes we all must do this to ensure a balanced world for all living organisms. Godfrey is also harnessing the power of social media to drive change:

“I speak to groups, people one-on-one, and communities to discuss our current problems. Social media has provided us with a great platform to do this!”

About winning the Sustainability Leader of the Year award, he shares:

“For me, winning this award means so much. This is my first-ever sustainability award with global recognition. The award only motivates me to do more work in this area and continue inspiring others to do right by the environment.

It means so much in terms of my career and is a huge personal milestone for me.”

Organisers of this award believe that we need more courageous sustainability leaders taking risks and leading the way, but we also need to support them on their journey.

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What makes changing the world so difficult?

Sinead Connolly — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 17:02:24 +0000

What makes changing the world so difficult?

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Despite having the evidence and realising the need for change to address the grand societal challenges of our time, it is still not happening at the pace and scale you would expect. But why?

You can put together a long list of why making change happen is difficult. It is complex and requires more data, discussions, planning, resources, and so on.

But one of the simplest and most overlooked reasons is that in order to change the world, we need to first change on a personal level. And this is more complicated than it sounds.

Before even moving forward to explore the nature of change, we should take a step back to understand the term better. Based on the definition of Addison-Wesley (1991), Change is situational, like a new boss, a new team role, a new policy. While Transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation. Change is external, transition is internal.

Therefore, whenever we are talking about personal change, we need to look at the process of transition.

We deal with infinite changes throughout our lifetime, which can be great or small, anticipated or unforeseen. Whether positive or negative, any transition may mean a period of adjustment. Accepting the new reality is even more difficult if it is unexpected or out of our control.

The whole process is problematic because it is a loss of the familiar, and our initial reaction can be one of shock and resistance.

In order to understand how people react to change over a period of time, we can draw on the expertise of the Scott and Jaffe Change Grid Model. Cynthia Scott and Dennis Jaffe developed this model and first introduced it in their article, ‘Survive and Thrive in Times of Change’ in 1988. The model, which has been attributed to psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ Five Stages of Grief Model, shows a progression of four stages as people react to change.

There are different emotional reactions to each stages of processing change.

The reason for drawing a parallel between change and grief is because letting go of the old is experienced as a form of grieving. Another element to add to the mix of why it is challenging to start change.

The first stage of this model is Denial, which can take the form of ignoring the change, downplaying it or acting as if it will never happen.

The next stage, Resistance, is driven by fear of loss. In this phase, feelings of anger, bitterness and frustration will abound. People will resist moving forward as they don’t believe there is anything to gain from making a change.

Eventually, this is followed by the Exploration phase, when we have accepted that the change is unavoidable and new methods are finally explored.

Finally, the Commitment stage is characterised by a focus on the future and a pledge to the new mode of living/operating.

The above mentioned original concept developed by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in the 1960’ has been adopted and further elaborated by change management practitioners to help leaders manage people while introducing changes in organisations.

The seven-phase transition or change curve is a valuable tool in the hands of modern leaders if they aim to deliver change, create a new status quo and engage their team along the way. This model can also be a powerful tool in understanding the ignorance and resistance to change regarding climate action.

Rather than blaming people for their inaction, we can look at ways to help them overcome the challenges associated with the different stages of transition.

Since the first humans walked the earth, we as a race have been adapting to and evolving to suit and shape our surroundings. Modern humans survived because we developed a unique combination of physical and behavioural characteristics, many of which other early human species also possessed, though not to the same degree.

As we mourn the many losses of the pandemic and face the uncertainty of the climate crisis, it’s natural to fear further upheaval or change.

However, whether we want it or not, change is the only constant and living a full life means accepting the challenges along with the celebrations.

Challenges offer opportunities for greater connections and growth; from that new vantage point, we can re-evaluate where we want to go.

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Inspiring leaders with horse-assisted training

kiss.tamas — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 21:37:03 +0000

Inspiring leaders with horse-assisted training

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Leadership

Topic

Leadership

How horses can help you to empower your team and become a better leader?

This learning by doing method is balancing experience based and cognitive learning. It's built on the ‘Gestalt-method’ which works with self-awareness through observations without any judgement.

This special training offers insights into self-awareness, effective communication and collaboration with a reflection on leadership skills, like no other learning experience.

Transformational leadership

Modern leaders need to make an impact and be able to manage change effectively. In order to navigate through challenges within a team and empower collaboration, leaders need transformational skills.

The horse-assisted training provides a unique approach that unleashes profound insights to deal with challenges, so you can improve teamwork and leadership skills at the same time.

"I didn't know what to expect as the whole concept of working with horses was so strange at the beginning. But I was looking for something different so I gave it a go," says Gary Corley, senior project manager at Evros, one of the top IT companies in Ireland.

He was assigned to lead a project with a new team in New-Zeland and didn't have much time to get ready, so he wanted something powerful to boost trust and ensure active collaboration right from the start.

"It turned out to be an extremely good day with lots of learning, fun and memorable experiences for all of us. Ever since we had this training there's a special 'bond' in my team."

Why horses?

Horses are herd animals with an extremely well developed social life and sophisticated communication abilities which makes them the perfect partners to work with and learn from.

The program is not about horse riding or horsemanship, therefore you won’t be sitting on a horse but interact with them from the ground. No previous experience with horses is necessary.

"They react in real time, in an honest way without second thoughts. Collaboration among horses is a matter of survival which means that they would only respond to powerful yet sensitive leaders who they trust," says Kieran Morrin experienced horse riding instructor and owner of the Country Cottage Stables where the training takes place.

This family-run yard is located close to Dublin and provides specially trained horses for these corporate training. The stable is surrounded by beautiful mountains and a spectacular view of Sugarloaf.

Collaboration in Action

Here you will find yourself in unknown situations where you can learn about your reactions and team dynamic. Questions and self-reflection will support participants to explore more about themselves, their perceptions, relationships and personal influence on others.

"This learning by doing method is balancing experience based and cognitive learning.

We are facilitating change through exercises with horses which inspire participants to find solutions in situations where they can’t rely on their usual routine," explains Marcell Szabó, a senior trainer and Professional Certified Coach, accredited by the International Coach Federation.

Szabó has over 10 years of professional experience in the business sector delivering leadership, collaboration, communication courses and more than 2000 hours of executive coaching.

"This unique programme is designed to address challenges related to business management and leadership. It provides an inspirational experience for leaders and teams, where you will walk away with tangible learning outcomes and feel re-energized", said Marcell Szabó, who has been working with numerous teams from multinational and medium-sized companies.

Many indoor courses are using fictive situations to encourage people to think outside the box.

Florence Irwin, Business Development Manager at SNP Communications is always eager to learn and attended many courses over the years. Despite her fear of horses, she joined a horse-assisted workshop focusing on collaboration within teams.

"I believe in life long learning, still after a while it's hard to find courses that would go beyond knowledge-transfer.

I got really excited when I learned more about this training and wanted to see for myself what makes this different.

I started to worry the day before the course about how I'm going to react and what could I possibly learn from horses? I have to admit that I had serious doubts but my curiosity won.

It was straight to the point, no fluff, just pure learning experience. One that I will remember and integrate into everyday work. It was months ago and I can still recall every element of the training.

Working with horses really emphasised the need for awareness, feedback and active communication in successful collaboration," Florence Irwin shared some of her experiences.

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