Everyone needs a purpose.
There has been a lot of work in recent years about finding your purpose, your 'why'. The most famous proponent of this is Simon Sinek - my favorite influencer in 2018!
I would like to share my experience with WHY and the powerful difference having a purpose makes. This is not my own story but one from my team.
When Molly first came to work with me, she was grumpy and unhappy. She would not connect with people. She would keep to herself and walk away if others invaded her physical “circle of safety.” Yes, you could say she was rude and disrespectful. She obviously felt that she had been neglected... put on the shelf... put out to pasture. It was at least 10 years since Molly had a job. Ten years of retirement where she was doing little except eating, drinking and sleeping. Molly did not want to be around me or anyone else. She wanted to keep to herself. It was so obvious that my husband even commented on her negative behaviours and actually took a real dislike to her and her “ bad attitude”.
Fast forward two years to today.
Yesterday I had to leave home early to attend a conference in Brisbane city. My husband had the day at home and I asked if he could help out with Molly and the rest of the team in my absence. He grudgingly agreed.
When I got home last night, I was pleasantly surprised by my husband’s new assessment of Molly. “She was lovely”, he commented, “So friendly. She came straight up to me and wrapped herself around me like a hug. She didn’t put her ears back at all! She is a different horse!”
And yes, Molly is a far different horse to the one who arrived on our property 24 months earlier.
I have seen her change from grumpy to happy, to wanting to get caught, to always having her ears forward, to walking briskly with me to the hitching rails or round yard. Why? Because now she has a purpose. She helps people with their leadership, confidence and communication. She loves her role where she gets to meet new people and helps them to improve their skills.
As a small pony, she was literally put out to pasture because her child owner grew too big for her (Molly is less than 1 metre tall from her back to the ground).
But we were able to give her a new career. A purpose. And Molly is thriving.
Her confidence has returned as she is petted, brushed and told how beautiful she is. Her communication skills are excellent - she reads people so well and can judge a person’s leadership capability (or lack thereof). She has given feedback to CEOs, COOs and Directors that has not been very positive.... but she does so with absolute authenticity and complete disregard for the title anyone holds. Molly does not care about your role, just how you turn up and interact with her. She has instilled confidence into those who lacked it.
Molly now has a purpose.
And she is a much happier horse as a consequence.
Like to learn more about what Molly does? www.leadershipeq.com.au
What is your Leadership Equine Quotient?