Rosie Tomkins is a successful Executive and Leadership Coach and Author of inspirational book N-stinctive: The Power Of Natural Intelligence. Rosie unlocks the power of the natural world to provide strength and confidence to people who are shouldering huge responsibility. Rosie works with a herd of horses to explore clients limiting beliefs and challenge perceptions.
As an Executive and Leadership Coach with high profile clients ranging from the GB Olympic hockey and England rugby teams, to the NHS and multi-national companies in the airline, engineering and pharmaceutical industries, Rosie’s new book is both powerful and practical. Rosie’s journey began as a little girl, when her passion for all living things drew her to horses, she would climb into a local farmers field, and ride his horses bareback with a bit of string! Since those days Rosie has developed a strong connection with the natural world and harnesses its wisdom to guide her many high profile clients. Here’s a look at how to unlock the power of natural intelligence with Rosie Tomkins…
How Do You Define Natural Intelligence?
Natural Intelligence (NQ) is the positive use of your instincts, insights and perceptions. It is a deep knowing of what is “ appropriate right now” in any situation. So, NQ combined with your other forms of intelligence is the formula for being the best leader of your business or your life.
Other forms of intelligence include: IQ (intellectual quotient) EQ (emotional quotient) SQ (spiritual quotient) and NQ (natural intelligence) all of these need to be valued equally.
How do you unlock the power of the natural world to teach leadership?
I use insights, stories and living metaphors from the natural world around us to extract deep learning.
Energy is everything – nature can show us the way, its constant presence is available for everyone, not just the chosen few.
Rosie Tomkins on Natural Intelligence
Collaboration
I teach collaboration and how animals (most of the time) work together for the good of the whole.
Trust Your Instincts
Humans have 300,000 years of Leadership DNA installed in every one of us, a blueprint for survival- we’ve stopped trusting it. We need to get out of our heads and come to our senses. Business can be complex, fast moving & overwhelming – my work cuts through complexity to give people an edge. Nature can provide a memorable anchor to help people who are shouldering huge levels of responsibility
According to Gallop Polls the world is looking for leaders who instil TRUST COMPASSION STABILITY & HOPE – my work mirrors this view.
Three Tips To Improve Leadership Skills?
Stand in your power……animals stand in their power always!
Don’t piggy-back on someone else’s wisdom, trust your own!
Know your own innate leadership style, and celebrate it !
Common Challenges Your Clients Face?
You help individuals to get out of their comfort zone and challenge their deeply help beliefs, so they can build strength and confidence- what are the most common challenges you find your clients facing and how do you work with nature to overcome these thought processes/ habits?
- Confidence in their own ability
- Resilience to overcome challenges
- Energy and creativity
I work with a herd of horses to explore clients limiting beliefs and challenge perceptions. Horses are totally inclusive there is no judgement ego or fear.
One personal transformation that stands out?
Throughout your years as an executive and leadership coach, is there one successful case or personal transformation that stands out? Could you tell us about that? Was nature instrumental in this case?
About a year ago, I was working with a CEO whose company was very successful. The context for the session was communication – a very challenging problem in most organisations and in life generally. I particularly wanted this client to ‘feel’ leadership rather than think strategically.
Our meeting took place at my farm where we are lucky enough to have space to play with ideas outside in nature. I obtained his permission to work without the sense of sight or language; in other words, to blindfold my client and work without speech. I proceeded to lead him outside using different techniques. Firstly, I was collaborative and supportive giving him my arm and guiding him with care. Secondly, I gave him the end of the rope to hold and quickened my pace and distance, taking him out of his comfort zone. Thirdly, I went behind him and pushed him gently into the unknown. This carried on until I had exhausted all the different leadership styles that I knew. What he didn’t know was that he was moving towards a horse. Finally, I took him into the outdoor arena and placed his hands on the withers of one of my horses.
What happened next will stay with me, and him, forever.
The expression on his face was unbelievable as he felt the strong warm coat of a living thing. He buried his head in the horse’s side and wept. His sense of relief was palpable. The strength and sheer presence of that unmoving horse standing strong and patient by his side was immensely poignant. Another living creature ‘had his back’ and somehow the horse understood that the man simply needed to be in contact with him and needed support. My thoroughbred horse did not move a muscle. The client was able to let go of his own power for a minute and simply be. To take a breath, feel the moment and gain the insight that it gave him, without words, without sight; simply feeling the animal connection and shared understanding.
During our debrief, I asked him whether he was happy to share this powerful moment. There was no embarrassment or hesitation.
“I was born in the high mountains of Pakistan, where nature in all its glory is on your doorstep. Connection with all living things had been part of the culture. How far away all that seems now, I had forgotten that deep connection and how much I long for that in my life again.”
He voiced the central issue that had bought him to work with me in the first place.
“I knew something was unfulfilled in my life. I now know that the way I am living has to change dramatically. I had all the trappings of success, but no idea why I felt this emptiness inside.”
Rosie Tomkins – Client Reaction
Later, he told me: “The most liberating aspect of this course was that I changed my life. I re-valued the way I conducted my business and I bought in a senior manager who now runs the day to day operations and has freed me up to connect with nature and I have found this to be a wonderful bedrock of ideas. I am now positioned to utilise my natural creativity and have someone else handle the daily process for me. Our company has gone from strength to strength.”
If you’d love to find out more about Rosie’s work you can visit www.n-stinctive.com
Stay fabulous
