What if the key to truly effective leadership isn't about saying more, but about communicating with clarity - often saying less and showing up with a calm, focused presence?

In today’s episode of The Reins of Leadership, we explore a powerful, often unspoken, dimension of leadership: the messages your team receives beyond your words. Drawing wisdom from the honest feedback of horses, we uncover how your energy, intention, and non-verbal cues shape your team's experience and performance.

This conversation was inspired by a recent workshop, where the principles of effective communication and influence kept pointing back to the lessons learned in the paddock. Horses don't lie; they mirror your clarity, your energy, and your deepest intentions.

🔑 In this episode, we unpack:

• The Power of Clear Cues: Why, just like with horses, your team needs unambiguous signals. Discover how misalignments between your words, actions, and energy can create confusion, and learn to deliver your message with precision.

o Reflect: When was the last time your "unspoken" message might have contradicted your words?

• Leading with Calm Energy: Understand the energetic atmosphere you cultivate and its direct impact on team safety, trust, and innovation. Learn how to be the steady anchor, even in turbulent times.

o Reflect: What kind of energetic wake do you leave behind in your team interactions?

• The Compass of Intention: Explore why your underlying purpose as a leader matters profoundly. We discuss how to clarify your intention so it authentically guides your actions and resonates with your team.

o Reflect: Is your core leadership intention clear to you? More importantly, is it palpable to your team?

• Reading the Room (and the Herd): Moving beyond just "delivering" information to truly tuning into your team’s unspoken feedback. Learn to lead responsively by developing your emotional intelligence.

o Reflect: Are you truly listening to what your team isn't saying, or just performing in front of them?

The Core Lesson:

Effective leadership is less about control and more about congruence. It’s not about pushing harder, but about showing up more consciously. By mastering your clear cues, calm energy, focused intention, and your ability to read your "herd," you build trust, create psychological safety, and unlock your team's true potential.

Join us as we shift from "herding cats" to moving in harmony with the herd. This episode is your invitation to realign how you lead from within.

Connect with Merinda:


Instagram: @IamMerindaSmith

Website: www.merindasmith.com.au