Horses are really good listeners – for a variety of reasons:
A horse is present A horse is naturally present, mindful and focused. A horse is willing to stand quietly and untiringly, while a person talks or interacts with him or her. A horse does not interrupt a person who speaks with him or her. In contrast to a human being, a horse does not engage in unnecessary chatter or multitasking. This calm and patient behavior makes a horse a really good listener.
A horse senses emotions well A horse is able to competently understand changes in non-verbal cues such as facial expressions and body language. This ability helps the horse learn about emotions, which a person, who interacts with him or her, feels. For example, a horse can sense when a person is feeling emotions such as anger and/or fear. Often, a horse responds with calming behaviors such as standing quietly beside the person. By doing that the horse helps create a comforting environment. This can help the person express emotions he or she feels.
A horse has mirror neurons. Mirror neurons are a type of brain cell that fires both when an animal acts and when an animal observes the same action performed by another. Essentially, the horse “mirrors” the behavior of the other, as if the observer itself is performing the action. This means that a horse is able to empathize with a human being on a deeper level, mirroring their emotions and responses.
A horse constantly asks questions through his or her body language A horse constantly asks questions through his or her body language. With practice, human beings can learn to answer appropriately and engage in a meaningful conversation with them. By adjusting your own movement and volume in response to the movement and volume of the horse, you can establish a connection with the horse and build trust with him or her.
A horse does not judge a person A horse listens to a person without judging the person. Knowing that a horse will listen without judgment helps the person trust the horse and feel comfortable in his or her presence. Thereby, the person feels safe to share thoughts and emotions, which he or she thinks and feels. This strong bond of trust, which a person can build with a horse, helps strengthen communication.
Expressing emotions plays a crucial role in a successful agile transformation. Agile methodologies emphasize collaboration, adaptability, and continuous improvement, all of which are deeply intertwined with human emotions. Here’s why emotional expression matters:
Building trust and psychological safety Agile transformations can be difficult, and trust is essential for success. Agile teams thrive in environments where trust and psychological safety are present. When team members feel comfortable expressing their emotions, whether it’s excitement, frustration, or concern, it fosters an atmosphere of trust. People are more likely to share their ideas, take risks, and collaborate effectively when they feel safe to do so. To learn more about psychological safety, check out the book The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson. Here are takeaways from reading the book.
Effective communication and collaboration Emotions are a fundamental part of communication. By learning to express emotions effectively, team members can convey their thoughts, needs, and concerns more clearly. This clarity reduces misunderstandings and ensures that everyone is aligned with the team’s goals and objectives.
Agile transformation relies heavily on collaboration among cross-functional teams. And expressing emotions in a healthy and productive way is crucial for effective collaboration and communication within agile teams. When team members feel comfortable expressing emotions they feel, they can engage more authentically with their colleagues. This authenticity fosters deeper connections and promotes a sense of friendships which leads to more effective collaboration. Emotional intelligence helps people foster trust, promote open communication, and effectively work together
Adaptability and resilience Agile transformation is about changing culture, and culture is about people. People are emotional, and most people don’t like change. Agile environments are characterized by their ability to adapt to change quickly. Emotionally resilient teams are better equipped to navigate uncertainty and setbacks. They have learned about emotional intelligence and can therefore work well in an agile culture. By acknowledging and expressing their emotions, team members can process change more effectively and maintain their focus on achieving their objectives.
Resolving conflicts Conflicts are inevitable in any team setting. The way conflicts are managed is of strong importance for the success of a project. Emotionally intelligent teams are better equipped to handle conflicts constructively. They can address issues openly, without letting emotions escalate to unproductive levels. Focus is on finding solutions and moving forward.
A survey suggests that as agile spreads throughout an organization, it is losing ground to entrenched bureaucracy. The transition to agile can impact several roles. Here are some examples of roles that may be affected by the transition to agile:
People who create documentation
Agile projects are focused on producing output as well as solutions, and there is significantly less focus on documentation. That is one of the 4 key agile values. That does not mean that documentation is not required at all. Instead, documentation tends to be more summarized and slimmed down versus the significant longer documentation required under waterfall methodology. Source.
The change towards a significantly reduced focus on documentation has an impact on several roles, because many people on a team are involved in creating documentation. Examples: Technical writes, developers, project managers, quality assurance, system architects, clients, and business analysts.
Clients
In agile, customer collaboration is among the key values. Agile methodologies encourage close collaboration between the development team and clients. Clients may be more involved in the development process, providing feedback on incremental releases and helping to prioritize features based on changing market conditions and/or needs they have.
Development team members
Development team members may include product designers, writers, developers, testers and a user experience worker. They deliver incremental value value through frequent releases. This reflect one of the 4 key agile values: Responding to change over following a plan. The development team members perform work sprints from requirements provided by the product owner. Source.
It is not uncommon to find team members discussing ideas on how to work faster and easier. Ideal team members trust, support, mentor and learn from each other. They question things and come up with alternative ways of pushing continuous improvement all the time. They work on delivering the best possible outcomes. Source.
Agile methodologies often emphasize automated testing and continuous integration, which can impact the role of testers. Testers may need to adapt to new tools and practices, such as test-driven development (TDD) as well as behavior-driven development (BDD), and work more closely with developers throughout the development process.
Nurses, who work in the Buurtzorg network of health care professionals and are members of small teams, take on several different roles. Four examples: 1. Find out what patients need. 2. Schedule what nurses will serve which patients at which times. 3. Continuously suggest ideas that can help improve the quality and efficiency of care. 4. Mentor / coach / teach / consult / facilitate new nurses.
A survey shows that a majority of companies prioritize women (79%), youth under 25 (68%) and people with disabilities (51%) as part of their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. In addition, 60% of workers will require training before 2027. The top 3 priorities for skills training from 2023-2027 is analytical thinking, creative thinking as well as use of AI and big data. The medical and health services and electronics industry will emphasize skills development in curiosity and lifelong learning.
Product owner
Ideally, the client would be the best person to take over the Product Owner role. In reality, the Product Owner role it taken up by one the project team members. Source. The Product owner acts as the link between users and team members. Source.
A product owner is a person who has the authority to make decisions and prioritize the product backlog, i.e. the list of work for the development team. In other words, the product owner ensures that developers and project team members work on the right tasks. The Product Owner should be able to communicate with stakeholders about what’s being built and manage and prioritize work for the team to ensure that customers’ needs are met. Among key benefits of having a product owner on an agile team is that the product owner works on acquiring deep knowledge of client needs. Source.
Agile software development is guided by four core values, as outlined in the Agile Manifesto. The 12 principles of agile software development, as outlined in the Agile Manifesto, support these values. Here’s how each principle aligns with the four values:
Value # 1: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools – Principle # 4: Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project. – Principle # 5: Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done. – Principle # 6: The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation. – Principle # 8: Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. – Principle # 11: The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
Value # 2: Delivery of working software over comprehensive documentation – Principle # 1: Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through the early and continuous delivery of valuable software. – Principle # 7: Working software is the primary measure of progress. – Principle # 9: Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility. – Principle # 10: Simplicity – the art of maximizing the amount of work not done – is essential.
Value # 3: Customer collaboration over contract negotiation – Principle # 4: Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project. – Principle # 8: Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
Value # 4: Responding to change over following a plan – Principle # 2: Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. – Principle # 3: Deliver working software frequently, with a preference for the shorter timescale. – Principle # 10: Simplicity – the art of maximizing the amount of work not done – is essential. – Principle # 12: At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
Individual change is a multifaceted process that often involves several steps. Examples mentioned below are steps that are part of a process of individual change. The process is not always linear. To make change happen, we may move back and forth between steps. Additionally, the specific steps and strategies involved can vary depending on the nature of the change and the person’s circumstances.
Step # 1: Becoming aware of what you want to explore
On page 34 of her book Smart Growth, Whitney Johnson explains that finding out what you want to explore is the first part of a personal growth process. This could include, she mentions on page 57, to ask people, who know you well, why they like being around you, and what their relationship with you does for them.
It can also mean, Ms. Johnson writes on page 76, to reflect on life stories in order to develop a greater sense of self awareness. This can include discovering or rediscovering your values. Collecting experiences from her past, Whitney Johnson learned that her mother loved to cook and also wrote cookbooks. In addition, she discovered that food is part of the ways that she feels and expresses love. In relation to this, Rosamund Stone Zander suggests on page 199 of her book The Art of Possibility that we listen for the music of our beings. Choose the practices that shape yourself. They will shape your voice as a unique contribution to us all.
Awareness is the recognition that change is needed. Becoming aware that change is needed might involve realizing that certain behaviors or patterns are causing problems or that there’s a gap between where you are and where you want to be. Awareness is the first block of the ADKAR change management model. The ADKAR change management model consists of 5 stages: 1. Awareness. 2. Desire. 3. Knowledge. 4. Ability. 5. Enforcement.
Step # 2: Developing a desire to move
When a person becomes aware that a change is needed, a meaningful next step is to develop a real desire to grow. This could include recognizing the benefits of change and/or the consequences of not changing. Learning about the transformation of Panelfisa towards self management, I found it interesting that people, who worked for Panelfisa, voted if they wanted change or not. A requirement in this vote was 80% voting for transformation.
To develop a desire to move from A to B, storytelling can help. Storytelling is a tool that can inspire creative thinking and help you imagine a future you want. Telling a positive story can show yourself the way to an even better life. On pages 240-243 of the book Thinking 101, Ahn Woo-Kyoung mentions that to have faith in the future, remind yourself of a time when you had the power to make a difference – in your own life or in the life of another person. Also think about future events with as much detail as you can.
At page 96 of her book Winning from within, Erica Ariel Fox explains that the dreamer strives to invent new possibilities, create and improve things. When we are young, we call it playing. In adolescence, we call it daydreaming. As grown-up professionals, we call it, for example, creating. At its core, the impulse is the same. We desire. We experiment. We wonder. What do you dream of doing? In which direction do you want to go?
In this process avoid underestimating or overestimating yourself. On page 58 of the book Thinking 101, Ahn Woo-Kyoung explains that a person, who underestimates himself or herself, may avoid to go for opportunities. And a person, who overestimates himself / herself, may forget what he or she is not good at.
Step # 3: Committing to change
Committing to change means making a decision to take action. To do that, try to think in positive ways. An example: On page 157 of the book Thinking 101, it is mentioned that when patients with lung cancer were told they had 90% chance of surviving if they underwent surgery, more than 80% of them opted for operation. When patients were told they had 10% chance of dying after surgery, 50% of them opted for operation.
On the Roller Coaster of Change Model this point is at the very bottom of the curve. This is where the energy level is at the lowest points and starts to rise, as the person decides to “stick with it” and starts to search for the new. In other words, at this point things start to get better, and more positive emotions start to emerge more frequently.
Step # 4: Setting a goal
What follows naturally after commitment to change is setting a goal. Setting a goal is of strong importance for guiding the change process. Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
During a Café Scientifique Meetup about information, beliefs, values and means – four aspects that can enable change – I learned from Claude A. Garcia that when a person believes that change matters and has the resources / means to make change change happen, the person develops herself or himself into an architect of change.
Step # 5: Breaking down the goal in smaller tasks
Developing a plan of action outlines the steps needed to achieve your goal. This might involve breaking down your goal into smaller tasks, identifying potential obstacles, and brainstorming strategies to overcome them.
A small, efficient step that I found helpful regarding the transformation to healthier foods was planning to buy chocolate with a relatively high percentage of cocoa and a relatively low percentage of sugar.
Step # 6: Doing things
Towards the end of the book Visible learning and the science of how we learn, a book by John Hattie and C. R. Yates, the IKEA effect is mentioned. The IKEA effect stems from the personal contributions and actual work that a person puts into achieving a goal. In the Kübler-Ross change curve, this is where experimenting happens. During this part of the change process, productivity begins to improve.
At page 200 of her book Winning from within, Erica Ariel Fox writes that the warrior is the part of you that acts – gets things done and delivered. The warrior’s power source is willpower, and her strongest muscle is courage. Playing can also be an important ingredient when learning and grow. On pages 5 and 118 of the book Free to learn, Peter O. Gray explains that Free play is the primary means by which children practice and acquire the physical skills and intellectual skills that are essential for success in the culture in which they are growing. Playfulness motivates children to practice new skills and use those skills creatively.
On page 53 of their book The One Thing, Gary Keller and Jay Papason mention that it takes 66 days on average to develop a habit. In other words, sticking with what you decided to do and taking consistent action is crucial for making progress towards a goal – in particular when you are faced with challenges or setbacks.. This might involve actively doing new things, having new habits, learning new skills, seeking support from other people and making other necessary adjustments to achieve the desired change. An example: To avoid eating too much chocolate, a helpful action I took was to put chocolate in a place, where I would not see it during the day.
Step # 7: Accepting and expressing emotions
At location 2200 of her book Emotional Agility, Susan David indicates that fear can block change. Fear sometimes appears in disguise, for example when we postpone things, when we seek perfection, when we have low confidence and/or when we make excuses. Fear speaks only one word: No. Examples: No, I will just fail. No, I don’t know anyone there. No, that shirt will look awful on me. No, I would rather wait. No, I prefer to avoid that. Following up on that Ms. David mentions that accepting and expressing emotions are key actions to handle emotions with agility. In relation to a person feeling fear, he or she can tame the fear, which she or he feels, by accepting and expressing it.
At page 146 of her book The language of emotions Karla McLaren puts focus on this as well: When your emotions are welcomed and honored, they move easily and quickly. Ms. McLaren explains at page 74 that if we can welcome our flowing emotions as necessary – like the water element in our fully functional psyches – we won’t need to go into a problem-solving mode. For example, she notes on page 36 that when your fear flows nicely, you will feel focused, centered, capable, and agile. Your free-flowing fear brings you instincts, intuition and focus. If you can rely on fear’s calm, listening, sensing stance, it will help you read people and situations empathically.
Change often takes time and effort, and setbacks are inevitable. Therefore, this step may require consistent effort, practice, and perseverance. Perseverance involves staying committed to your goal and continuing to take action, even in the face of challenges. To help name and express emotions, the Feelings Wheel can help.
Step # 8: Analyzing progress
Regularly analyzing progress, which you make towards achieving your goal, allows you to figure out what is working and what is not working.
Step # 9: Adapting
Evaluating progress helps you make adjustments to your plan and stay on track towards your goal. Being willing to adapt and make changes to your approach as you learn and grow is essential for long-term success.
Step # 10: Setting new goals
What do you do when you have achieved your goal? You start a new process of individual change. What do you wish to learn next?
A coaching contract outlines the terms and expectations of the coaching relationship between the coach and the client. Here are elements that can be included in a coaching contract:
Name and contact information of coach and client In the contract it is clearly identifies who the client is, and who the coach is. There is contact information such as e-mail addresses and phone numbers for the client as well as for the coach.
Coaching goals The coach and the client agree on goals of the coaching relationship. This section may outline specific goals the client wants to achieve through the coaching process, and how the progress of the client will be measured.
Type of coaching provided This section outlines what type of coaching services will be provided.
Frequency and duration of services The frequency and duration of coaching sessions are mentioned in this part.
Methods of communication Methods of communication can, for example, include communication via video call, communication via messaging services such as WhatsApp, communication via social media, and in-person sessions in physical locations.
Responsibilities of the coach and the client This section clarifies the responsibilities of both the coach and the client in the coaching relationship. It may include expectations around attendance, participation, communication between sessions, and any homework or actions to be completed by the client. This section helps set expectations for the contributions to the coaching process of both the client and the coach.
Confidentiality A confidentiality clause in the coaching contract ensures that all information shared during coaching sessions will be kept confidential.
Price and payment This section outlines the price of coaching, payment methods as well as the time the client has to pay for coaching services.
Duration of the coaching relationship This section deals with the duration of the coaching relationship.
These are examples of how “what if learners” learn:
Research and critical thinking “What if learners” like to do independent research on topics they are curious about. And they like to analyze what they learn. They examine information, evaluate evidence, and consider alternative perspectives. They learn by challenging assumptions, asking questions, and analyzing the underlying logic behind different arguments or theories.
Role-playing is a popular method for “what if learners” to learn and understand different perspectives. They can take on the role of a historical figure, a character in a story, or a professional in a specific field. By immersing themselves in these roles, learners can explore alternative viewpoints, develop empathy, and gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
Creative thinking “What if learners” like to work on finding solutions to open-ended questions and challenges that do not have a single right answer. They are motivated by the opportunity to explore multiple possibilities. Using their curiosity and imagination, they may ask questions like “What if this event had turned out differently?” or “What if this decision had been made instead?” By considering alternative possibilities, they can gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter and its implications.
“What if learners” like to also experiment with different approaches. For example, physicists often use thought experiments to understand complex concepts in quantum mechanics or relativity. “What if learners” thrive in environments where they have the freedom to pursue their interests. They enjoy exploring new ideas on their own. This can include brainstorming new concepts, imagining hypothetical scenarios, and exploring imaginative possibilities. Creative projects and activities that encourage them to think outside the box can be particularly effective for their preferred ways of learning.
Sharing ideas with other people “What if learners” often express their ideas and insights through writing, storytelling and/or art. They like to have dialogues with other people – in particular with people who have different perspectives and ideas. Communicating with other people as well as doing collaborative projects provide opportunities for them to explore alternative viewpoints, challenge their assumptions, and refine their thinking.
Practical applications “What if learners” thrive when they can see the practical applications of what they are learning. They appreciate opportunities to apply theoretical concepts to real-world situations, for example through project-based learning experiences. This hands-on approach allows them to test their hypotheses and see the tangible results of their efforts.
These are examples of how common sense learners / “how learners” learn:
Seeking usefulness and results Common sense learners / “how learners” are motivated by practicality and results. They are interested in learning things that have immediate usefulness and can be applied to real-life situations. They are more likely to engage with learning materials that have a clear purpose and tangible outcomes.
Trying things out themselves Common sense learners like to engage in activities that involve building, creating, and fixing things in a hands-on way. They learn best when they can actively engage with materials or tools, apply their knowledge in a practical context and see the direct impact of their actions. They value practical application and are more likely to remember information when they can see its relevance in action. When making mistakes as they try things out, they use their experiences to improve their understanding.
Common sense learners / “how learners” are curious about what experts think. However, it is important for common sense learners to try things out themselves and see if they work in practice rather than relying solely on theoretical knowledge. They want to test their understanding of concepts, ideas and theories. Therefore, they try things out themselves to see if those concepts / ideas / theories align with their own observations and experiences.
Observing Common sense learners often learn by observing others and paying attention to how things are done. They may learn new skills simply by watching someone else perform them, for example via YouTube.
Feedback and reflection Common sense learners / “how learners” value feedback from their experiences. Whether it’s from their own trial and error or from others who have observed their actions, feedback helps them refine their approach and improve their skills. Common sense learners learn by reflecting on their own experiences as well as the feedback they receive and and draw conclusions from them. They analyze the situations they encounter and try to understand the underlying principles or mechanisms at play.
“Why learners” are people, who are motivated by understanding the underlying principles and reasons behind what they learn. They are curious about the “why” behind what they are learning. These are examples of how “why learners” learn:
Continuously asking questionsand reflecting “Why learners” are often curious people who ask a lot of questions. They seek to understand in depth what they are learning. In this regard, they think critically and want to find evidence that support their understanding of what they are learning. For example, they are interested in finding out why certain theories are relevant to solve a specific challenge. Reflecting on their learning experiences is important for “why learners.” They take the time to think about what they have learned, why it’s significant, and how it relates to their existing knowledge and experiences. “Why learners” have a lifelong commitment to learning and continuously seek opportunities to expand their understanding and deepen their insights.
Communicating with other people “Why learners” like to communicate with other people, because they want to gain an even deeper understanding of what they are learning and discover different perspectives. They seek to find experts and diverse resources to expand their understanding and improve their competencies.
Innovating “Why learners” want to innovate. They do that in various ways. “Why learners” work to solve problems that require them to use their knowledge. Problem-solving allows them to put their knowledge into practice and gain further insights. In order to understand things well and to be able to solve complex problems, “why learners” work on finding connections between different disciplines. They also test ideas they come across in their learning.
Sequential learning strategies involve acquiring knowledge or skills in a step-by-step manner, building upon previously learned information. These are some examples:
Step by step approach Sequential learners, also called specific learners, like to break down tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. Also, they like to master each step before progressing to the next. Sequential learners / specific learners learn something new by adding to what they already know. Sequential reasoning is a popular learning strategy in problem-solving. The approach helps people understand the procedures involved and recognize their progress towards the solution.
Practiceand repetition Sequential learners / specific learners practice what they learn. As they practice and gain proficiency, the skill becomes more automatic, allowing them to concentrate on learning new actions while performing previously learned ones skillfully. Doing repetitions of what they learn help sequential learners / specific learners to reinforce their learning.
Continuous evaluation Sequential learners / specific learners like to evaluate their own understanding and performance – to find out what they understand well as well as identify areas for improvement. They use both self-assessment and feedback to get better.
Inspiration to create 