What is Next?

Whether it be because of the “Great Resignation” or “Pandemic Flux Syndrome”, so many people are experiencing a level of confusion and instability that is intolerable. People leaving their jobs are asking themselves, “What do I really want to do with my life?” People feeling anywhere on the spectrum from anxious to uncharacteristically lazy are asking themselves, “Where do I go from here?” Business leaders struggling to find people to fill jobs are searching for what will motivate people to embrace their mission and vision. These big questions deserve reflective answers.

Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and author said recently in a Wall Street Journal article that, “The Great Resignation isn’t a mad dash away from the office. It’s the culmination of a long march toward freedom. Flexibility is more than choosing the place you work. It’s having the freedom to decide your purpose and your priorities.”

One of my most treasured mentors taught me that “Freedom and accountability are two sides of the same coin. Many people began their careers with the promise working for a company that would secure their futures. Now, people are questioning spending their lives working for an organization that does not give them a sense of purpose. People are not abdicating accountability. In fact, many people are taking accountability for their futures for first time and are willing to take the risk of entrepreneurship to live their purpose.

I was working with a client last week who stepped into the paddock with my horse, Galen, and put her hands on his neck and back. She closed her eyes and exhaled for the first time in months. Galen leaned his head around her and they just enjoyed a moment of peace and quiet together. Having that moment of stillness allowed her to silence the noise in her head that was preventing her from finding clarity of purpose.

Recently, a client stepped out of her car and just stood there for a second. She looked up at the sky and listened to the simple sounds of birds singing and wind rustling through the trees. She walked up on to my front porch, sat down in a rocking chair, and said, “Wow, it is so peaceful here.” We then proceeded to have a very meaningful conversation about how to bring that calm into how she leads her organization.

To anyone reading this article, this is what TeachingHorse at Double Run Farm in Leland, NC is here to do. We will work with you to lead yourself through the uncertainties of our time. We are currently scheduling individual and group coaching sessions customized to your desired outcomes. To hear more, email me at junegunter@teachinghorse.com.

June Gunter is the Co-Founder and CEO of TeachingHorse. With 32 years of experience in leadership development, June brings depth of understanding and clarity of purpose to preparing leaders for innovation and transformation. June holds a Doctor of Education degree in the field of Adult Learning from North Carolina State University. She is a Certified Equine Guided Educator (CEGE), Certified Equine Interaction Professional (CEIP-ED) and the author of TeachingHorse, Rediscovering Leadership.