The Power of the Herd : A Nonpredatory Approach to Social Intelligence, Leadership, and Innovation

Linda Kohanov is beloved for her groundbreaking articulation of “the way of the horse,” an experiential wisdom known to riders for centuries but little studied or adapted to off-horse use. Now Kohanov takes those horse-inspired insights on the nonverbal elements of exceptional communication and leadership into the realms of our workplaces and relationships. Here we explore the benefits of “nonpredatory power” in developing assertiveness, fostering creativity, dealing with conflict, and heightening mind-body awareness. In “A Brief History of Power,” the first part of this far-reaching book, Kohanov profiles cultural innovators who employed extraordinary nonverbal leadership skills to change history, usually on horseback: Winston Churchill, George Washington, Alexander the Great, and Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha), among others. She also draws on the behavior of mature horse herds, as well as the herding cultures of Africa and Mongolia, to debunk theories of dominance hierarchies, challenge ingrained notions of “survival of the fittest,” and demonstrate the power of a consensual leadership in which governing roles are fluid. Kohanov then adapts these lessons into twelve powerful guiding principles we can all incorporate into our work and personal lives. Eloquent and provocative, this is horse sense for everyone who seeks to thrive in the herds we all run in — our communities, careers, families, and friendships. Linda Kohanov is beloved for her groundbreaking articulation of ?the way of the horse,? an experiential wisdom known to riders for centuries but little studied or adapted to off-horse use. Now Kohanov takes those horse-inspired insights on exceptional communication and leadership into the realms of our workplaces and relationships. Here we explore the benefits of ?nonpredatory power? in developing assertiveness, fostering creativity, dealing with conflict, and heightening mind-body awareness. In the first part of this far-reaching book, Kohanov profiles cultural innovators who employed extraordinary nonverbal leadership skills to change history, usually on horseback: Winston Churchill, George Washington, Alexander the Great, and the Buddha, among others. She also draws on the behavior of mature horse herds, as well as the herding cultures of Africa and Mongolia, to debunk theories of dominance hierarchies, challenge ingrained notions of ?survival of the fittest,? and demonstrate the power of a consensual leadership in which governing roles are fluid. Kohanov adapts these lessons into twelve powerful guiding principles we can all incorporate into our work and personal lives. Eloquent and provocative, this is horse sense for everyone who seeks to thrive in the herds we all run in {u2014} our communities, careers, families, and friendships

Linda Kohanov is beloved for her groundbreaking articulation of "the way of the horse," an experiential wisdom known to riders for centuries but little studied or adapted to off-horse use. Now Kohanov takes these horse-inspired insights on the nonverbal elements of exceptional communication and leadership into the realms of our workplaces and relationships. Here we find "the wisdom of the prey" and its practical lessons on developing assertiveness, fostering creativity, dealing with conflict, and even heightening mind-body awareness. Kohanov draws on the behavior of mature horse herds to debunk theories of dominance hierarchies, challenge ingrained notions of "survival of the fittest," and demonstrate the power of a "consensual leadership," in which governing roles are fluid and based not on consensus but on joint sensing. Eloquent and provocative, this is horse sense for all who seek to thrive in the herds we all run in — our communities, careers, families, and friendships.

"Lessons on leadership and teamwork to help develop assertiveness, foster creativity, address conflict, and master emotional intelligence. Author draws on the nonverbal skills and experiential wisdom she teaches in equine-facilitated training. Illustrative examples include leaders such as George Washington and Andrew Jackson"--Provided by publisher Eloquent and provocative, this book is horse sense for anyone who seeks to thrive in the herds we all run in {u2014} our communities, careers, families, and friendships