Lessons From a Horse’s A**

On a recent pack trip with my sons, I had a simple yet powerful insight about change management. I was pulling the pack horses that carried our gear. A job I hate because those stubborn animals constantly yank the rope out of my hand, forcing me to stop the entire group so I can get off my horse and retrieve it. It happens so often that it can spoil the ride for everyone.

This time, I tried a new approach, and it didn’t happen once. When we came to an obstacle like a log or stream, I tried stopping my horse as soon as I passed it. I waited, carefully observing the feeling of the rope in my hand. When I felt it loosen, I knew the pack horse had cleared the challenge. Only then did I move on.

The insight was clear, a perfect metaphor for guiding people through change. I’m not a patient guy, and I used to plow ahead, expecting the pack horses to keep up. But they often lack my horse's experience, and they can’t see what’s coming. Obstacles on the trail catch them off guard because their line of sight is, quite literally, my horse’s rear end. Slowing down and waiting for them to get through proved to be much faster than repeatedly walking back to pick up the rope. It was also safer because horses can get hurt if they are left wandering through obstacles unconnected to their leader.