What makes a horse a good listener?

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.

Sources of inspiration
chatgpt.com
you.com

How important is it for a successful agile transformation to learn about expressing emotions?

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.

Sources:
chat.openai.com
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2938184535
you.com

Mentoring

Doing research about mentoring, this is what I found out until now.

Image source

Which roles will be impacted by the transition to agile?

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.

Leaders

In an agile transformation, leaders need to

• clearly ommunicate the purpose of the business so teams can work autonomously.
• do other things that enable self-organizing teams to work well.
• look outside the organization for inspiration in order to create radical change.
• become doers. In a webinar on April 8, 2024 about Indaero’s radical transformation towards self management, Dario Gonzalez explained that as a part of the transformation, he transferred from CEO to a member of the sales team.

Agile coaches

Agile coaches may work at the organizational level, helping multiple teams adopt agile practices and guiding the overall agile transformation.

Sources of inspiration:
https://www.bcg.com/publications/2022/what-employees-say-about-agile-transformations
https://bluepiit.com/customer-role-in-agile-projects/
https://www.bmc.com/blogs/agile-roles-responsibilities/
https://businessmap.io/blog/agile-team-roles
https://www.calameo.com/read/0035073797ee90d4247e7
chat.openai.com
https://www.easyagile.com/blog/agile-team/
https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/why-an-agile-transformation-office-is-your-ticket-to-real-and-lasting-impact
https://monday.com/blog/project-management/agile-roles/
https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2023.pdf
you.com

What are specific differences between mentoring and coaching?

Mentoring and coaching are both valuable approaches to personal and professional development. These are among differences that exist between mentoring and coaching:

Differences regarding purpose and tasks

• The purpose of mentoring is to help the mentee fulfill his or her job responsibilities. In this journey, a mentor is often a role model for the mentee. The mentor’s focus is on transferring knowledge to the mentee by guiding and directing the mentee. A mentor has competencies that enable him or her to provide targeted expert knowledge and help the mentee handle concrete challenges in their field of work. The mentee learns from listening to experiences and insights that the mentor had. The feedback provided by the mentor is context-rich, often delivered through personal stories. In a mentor-mentee relationship, the mentee is often the person who asks questions.
• The coach, on the contrary, is the one who asks questions and listens when working with a client. Why? Because the focus of a coach is to help the client achieve her or his goals. Typically, coaching sessions are adapted to the needs of the client. The coach serves the client by helping her or him set actionable goals, create action plans, and track his or her progress over time. Coaching covers a broader spectrum of life domains – including personal relationships and finding purpose. Coaches address various aspects of clients’ lives that may impact their professional growth.

Differences regarding equality

• The mentor-mentee relationship often involves a hierarchical relationship where the mentor holds a position of authority or seniority.
• The relationship between a coach and his or her client is more equal, collaborative and partnership focused. The coach empower his or her client and holds the client accountable for his or her professional and/or personal development. The relationship between a coach and his or her client requires that the client participates actively in setting goals, identifying challenges, and implementing solutions. In other words, the coaching agenda is co-created by the coach and the client in order to best possibly tap into needs that the client has.

Differences regarding expertise and experience

• A mentor typically has strong experience and expertise in the field relevant to the mentee. The mentor may have been through what the mentee is going thorough. Therefore, her or his willingness to show the mentee ways forward is of high value. The mentor offers practical advice based on experiences, which he or she has had. The mentor serves as a trusted advisor and shares insights, knowledge, and advice based on her or his own journey. A risk in mentoring is that the personal experiences and advice of the mentor may not be relevant to the current situation of the mentee, for example because of changes that have happened.
• Coaches may not necessarily have direct experience in the field or industry of the client. The focus of the coach is on helping the client in his or her self-discovery, learning, and growth through powerful questioning and active listening.

Differences regarding duration of the working relationship

• A coach helps a client achieve a goal within a defined period of time such as a number of weeks or months.
• A working relationship between a mentor and a mentee usually unfolds over a longer period of time.

Sources of inspiration:
chat.openai.com
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/mentoring-coaching-and-counseling
https://www.kent.edu/yourtrainingpartner/know-difference-between-coaching-and-mentoring
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-key-differences-between-coaching-mentoring-steve-gregory/
https://www.linkedin.com/advice/3/what-some-key-differences-similarities-between
https://smallbiztrends.com/coach-vs-mentor/
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/krishna-athal/what-is-the-difference-between-coaching-and-mentoring/
https://blog.trevor-roberts.com.au/what-is-the-difference-between-coaching-mentoring
you.com

What is included in a coaching contract?

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.

Sources of inspiration:
chat.openai.com
you.com

What are the most important ways that a horse whisperer can transfer his or her skills into helping humans?

A horse whisperer, who is skilled in understanding and communicating with horses, can transfer their expertise to helping humans in several ways. 4 examples:

Learning to be present
Working with horses requires individuals to be present in the moment, aware of their own emotions, and attuned to the horse’s responses. Horse whisperers can help humans cultivate self-awareness and mindfulness by guiding them to focus on the present, observe their own emotions and reactions, and adjust their behavior accordingly. This can lead to increased self-awareness, emotional regulation, and overall well-being

Learning to use tone of voice, facial expressions and body language
Horses communicate primarily through body language. Horse whisperers learn, through their work, to get really good at understanding and using non-verbal cues. This skill can be applied to human interactions as well because understanding and effectively responding to nonverbal cues is crucial for building strong relationships as well as fostering effective communication. Horse whisperers can help people learn to improve their non-verbal communication skills such as tone of voice, facial expressions and body language.

Learning to understand emotions
Working with horses requires the ability to understand emotions – including how to recognize emotions, name emotions, accept emotions, understand reasons for emotions, express emotions and regulate emotions. These competencies are important to understand needs. Horse whisperers can help humans develop these skills – thereby helping people increase self awareness and improve relationships.

Learning to manage stress and fear
Interacting with horses can help people manage emotions such as stress and fear. Examples of techniques used by horse whisperers are mindfulness, grounding exercises, and relaxation techniques. Working with horses and learning through experience how to communicate with horses can help people to overcome fear, develop self-assurance, and improve their self-esteem.

Sources of inspiration:
chat.openai.com
you.com

What are examples of how “what if learners” learn?

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.

Sources of inspiration
chat.openai.com
you.com

What are examples of visual learning strategies?

Four examples of visual learning strategies:

AI powered platforms
I experience that digital drawing tools such as Quick, Draw can be helpful for students to learn about drawing as well as about various languages. Also, I experience that asking questions to GenAI tools such as ChatGPT can be very helpful to learn more about a topic.

Real-life examples
Using real-life examples can help make it easier to understand things. An example: Research about Buurtzorg.

Photos
Using photos can help make it easier to understand things. An example: Solar trash cans.

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Videos
Using multimedia resources such as educational videos to show, for example, how to do things can help strengthen understanding. An example: A tailor in South India:

Sources of inspiration
chat.openai.com
you.com

What are examples of auditory learning strategies?

Three examples of auditory learning strategies that help people who learn best through listening:

Contributing to dialogues
Taking part in conversations with other people can help auditory learners to process and absorb information through listening and speaking.

Listening to podcasts
Audio resources such as podcasts can provide people, who learn well through listening and hearing, to discover more about topics they learn about. An example:

Listening to music
Listening to music can help to, for example, feel calm and reduce blood pressure. Try this Dutch playlist.

Sources of inspiration:
chat.openai.com
you.com