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When Pauline Redpath, co-founder of Source People, approached me about the red horse speaks(TM), she was looking for "something that really tested the leadership skills of our management team and not just something that allowed team members to sit about and talk about what they thought makes good leadership.
Pauline Redpath had already had good reports about the programme from one of her staff who had experienced it with a previous employer and, despite some scepticism from other members of the management team, decided that it fitted the bill.
Source People was formed five years ago to provide innovative recruitment solutions primarily for skilled people in the oil and gas industry in Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, north America and Africa. Its core presence is in Aberdeen and it also operates a division in the USA, based in Houston, Texas. The company prides itself on building long-lasting relationships based on trust and respect.
Working closely with Pauline Redpath and her fellow director David Priestley to understand where the business was going and how the management team was currently performing, I designed a day of activities with the horses which would meet the needs of both the team and the individuals in it.
The red horse speaks programme
The red horse speaks(TM) programme was the first in Scotland to offer experiential learning with horses, when founded in 2004. All activities are carried out on the ground and no knowledge of horses is expected. Some level of anxiety about horses is common at the start of the day but dissipates quickly because of the carefully designed introduction to the horses at the start of the session.
The programme is experiential and uses a supportive coaching and solution-focused approach that encourages participants to explore possibilities and new behaviour in an atmosphere where there are no mistakes, only learning. Challenge is by choice - although participants are encouraged to stretch themselves, asking for as much help as they need.
The workshops are delivered for between eight and 12 participants usually working with two horses and two facilitators, although larger teams can be accommodated. One facilitator has strong business skills and links the learning back to the workplace. The other has strong horse skills and ensures that all...