Improve Communication between Colleagues

“Communication,” according to well-known horseman Pat Parelli, “is defined as two or more beings sharing and understanding an idea.” We humans tend to forget that last part sometimes and assume that just because we said something that the people we were talking to heard us and understood exactly what we meant. Horse share and understand ideas almost exclusively non-verbally and are experts at reading body language. Consider the herd of zebras grazing on the savannah. They are keenly aware by his body language whether the lion walking nearby is out for an afternoon stroll or an afternoon snack. Although we humans are more verbal than horses, studies have shown that the large majority of our communication still happens through body language. The way we stand, how we hold our shoulders or the tilt of our head all say something to the person we’re talking to, whether we are aware of it or not.  In an EAL session we pay a lot of attention to body language of both the horses and the people. How aware are you of body language? How accurately do you read what the horses and/or your teammates are really “saying?” What do you choose to do with this information? How does this reflect what happens at the office?