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The Power of the Herd: A Nonpredatory Approach to Social Intelligence, Leadership, and Innovation
Linda Kohanov is beloved for her groundbreaking articulation of “the way of the horse,” an experiential wisdom known to riders for centuries but little studied or adapted to off-horse use. Now Kohanov takes those horse-inspired insights on exceptional communication and leadership into the realms of our workplaces and relationships. Here we explore the benefits of “nonpredatory power” in developing assertiveness, fostering creativity, dealing with conflict, and heightening mind-body awareness.
In the first part of this far-reaching book, Kohanov profiles cultural innovators who employed extraordinary nonverbal leadership skills to change history, usually on horseback: Winston Churchill, George Washington, Alexander the Great, and the Buddha, among others. She also draws on the behavior of mature horse herds, as well as the herding cultures of Africa and Mongolia, to debunk theories of dominance hierarchies, challenge ingrained notions of “survival of the fittest,” and demonstrate the power of a consensual leadership in which governing roles are fluid.
Kohanov adapts these lessons into twelve powerful guiding principles we can all incorporate into our work and personal lives. Eloquent and provocative, this is horse sense for everyone who seeks to thrive in the herds we all run in — our communities, careers, families, and friendships.
In the first part of this far-reaching book, Kohanov profiles cultural innovators who employed extraordinary nonverbal leadership skills to change history, usually on horseback: Winston Churchill, George Washington, Alexander the Great, and the Buddha, among others. She also draws on the behavior of mature horse herds, as well as the herding cultures of Africa and Mongolia, to debunk theories of dominance hierarchies, challenge ingrained notions of “survival of the fittest,” and demonstrate the power of a consensual leadership in which governing roles are fluid.
Kohanov adapts these lessons into twelve powerful guiding principles we can all incorporate into our work and personal lives. Eloquent and provocative, this is horse sense for everyone who seeks to thrive in the herds we all run in — our communities, careers, families, and friendships.
464 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 2012
58 people are currently reading
542 people want to read
About the author
Linda Kohanov
34 books71 followersLinda is an author, speaker, riding instructor and horse trainer who has become an internationally recognized innovator in the field of Equine Experiential Learning and a respected writer on the subject of Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy.
Her book "The Tao of Equus: A Woman’s Journey of Healing and Transformation through the Way of the Horse" was selected as one of the Top Ten Religion and Spirituality books of 2001 by Amazon.com.
Her second book, "Riding Between the Worlds: Expanding Our Potential through the Way of the Horse", was published in 2003.
Both books have been used as texts in university courses across the country and have received appreciative reviews in publications as diverse as Horse and Rider, Natural Horse, IONS Noetic Sciences Review, Shift, Spirituality and Health, Animal Wellness, The Equestrian News and Strides (the magazine published by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association).
Among her numerous lectures throughout the U.S. and Canada, she was a presenter at the 2001 NARHA conference and was the keynote speaker at the 2003 NARHA conference. She was also a featured presenter at the 2004 International Transpersonal Conference.
Her book "The Tao of Equus: A Woman’s Journey of Healing and Transformation through the Way of the Horse" was selected as one of the Top Ten Religion and Spirituality books of 2001 by Amazon.com.
Her second book, "Riding Between the Worlds: Expanding Our Potential through the Way of the Horse", was published in 2003.
Both books have been used as texts in university courses across the country and have received appreciative reviews in publications as diverse as Horse and Rider, Natural Horse, IONS Noetic Sciences Review, Shift, Spirituality and Health, Animal Wellness, The Equestrian News and Strides (the magazine published by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association).
Among her numerous lectures throughout the U.S. and Canada, she was a presenter at the 2001 NARHA conference and was the keynote speaker at the 2003 NARHA conference. She was also a featured presenter at the 2004 International Transpersonal Conference.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 26, 2013
Amazing book! My head is swimming with ideas. The first part of the book is a wonderful history lesson regarding leadership in history and how horses helped to create some of histories most outstanding leaders. Herding cultures are discussed as well, giving insight into leadership from a more pacifist perspective. Then gives wonderful guiding principles on how to deal with many emotions when dealing with life's situations without sabotaging yourself into negative criticism and perpetuating the cycle of cynicism.
September 6, 2015
I have read all of Kohanov's books. I was surprised that this wasn't more about horses! It is, however a mind changing"Nonpredatory Approach to Social Intelligence, Leadership, and Innovation" The author did her research. Imagine if humans acted more like herd members, the world would be such a different place. There is so much to learn from the perspective of a herd...so many of the destructive human behaviors we see in everyday life through out the world would likely be significantly diminished if we approached life more like a horse. LOVED this book.
February 3, 2018
READ JAN 2018
Picked this up several months ago, but just now got around to reading. Highly recommended for leaders, coaches, parents...basically anyone who interacts with others. Kohanov does a great job of weaving history, her experiences with horses as well as a leader in the business world to help the reader understand what it means to be a nonpredatory leader.
Picked this up several months ago, but just now got around to reading. Highly recommended for leaders, coaches, parents...basically anyone who interacts with others. Kohanov does a great job of weaving history, her experiences with horses as well as a leader in the business world to help the reader understand what it means to be a nonpredatory leader.
July 29, 2018
I think Linda Kohanov is as trailblazing as the continent-crossing equines about which she writes. In this book, she takes on a wide swath of history, and she applies her eye for leadership training techniques, post-history trauma, and extreme physical-and-emotional sensitivity.
October 14, 2015
Great thoughts on leadership and emotional intelligence and how horses demonstrate and can teach us ways of interacting with others.
April 23, 2023
There were so many long quotes from other authors and lengthy side bars that didn't correlate with the purpose of the book - or what I was hoping the purpose was. I tapped out halfway through.
May 7, 2019
Endorsements:
“An innovative path to leadership and a journey of self-discovery.”
— Peter A. Levine, PhD, author of Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma and In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness
“Once again, Linda Kohanov shows us a much-needed alternative to business-as-usual in our relationships with each other and with other species.”
— Christian de Quincey, PhD, author of Radical Nature: Rediscovering the Soul of Matter and Radical Knowing: Understanding Consciousness through Relationship
“Linda Kohanov has created a unique synthesis of myth, symbology, psychology, neuroscience, and, most important of all, the insight she has gained from horses to give us a manual to guide ourselves and our leaders through the twenty-first century and beyond. In this book, a must for every leader, or everyone who wants to be one — in his or her own life and in our world at large — she takes horsemanship from a personal level to a global one.”
— Allan J. Hamilton, MD, FACS, author of Zen Mind, Zen Horse: The Science and Spirituality of Working with Horses
“In The Power of the Herd Linda Kohanov reveals the ways in which humans can learn from the behavior and social infrastructure of horses. Well written and well researched, this book is a valuable contribution to the literature on interspecies communication.”
— Andrew Weil, MD, author of Spontaneous Happiness
“Complex and multi-layered....there are many rewards as Kohanov explains the ‘interspecies culture,’ the connection between ‘emotional intelligence’ and professional success and shares meaningful examples of individuals who have learned valuable life lessons from their horses.”
— Publishers Weekly
“Belongs at the top of your list of books to read this year. Sweeping in scope, Kohanov’s latest work is a blend of scholarship and storytelling so finely crafted that you’ll want to pause occasionally just to marvel at the quality of the writing. It’s a fascinating read, brought to life with examples drawn from historical figures and the evolution of human development as well as lessons learned from years of working with her beloved horses. This is a book to be savored.”
— Bob Wall, author of Coaching for Emotional Intelligence: The Secret to Developing the Star Potential in Your Employees
“For millennia we humans were mere prey. We’re here only because some of our ancestors could mimic the animals who knew how to run the gauntlet of the great carnivores. Horses are one of those creatures still amongst us. Linda Kohanov is that rare twenty-first-century watcher with the wit to see the lessons horses can still teach us and the talent to harness it in this remarkable book. She lays out a powerful case that our evolution still rides on the shoulders of these giants.”
— Meg Daley Olmert, author of Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond
“An innovative path to leadership and a journey of self-discovery.”
— Peter A. Levine, PhD, author of Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma and In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness
“Once again, Linda Kohanov shows us a much-needed alternative to business-as-usual in our relationships with each other and with other species.”
— Christian de Quincey, PhD, author of Radical Nature: Rediscovering the Soul of Matter and Radical Knowing: Understanding Consciousness through Relationship
“Linda Kohanov has created a unique synthesis of myth, symbology, psychology, neuroscience, and, most important of all, the insight she has gained from horses to give us a manual to guide ourselves and our leaders through the twenty-first century and beyond. In this book, a must for every leader, or everyone who wants to be one — in his or her own life and in our world at large — she takes horsemanship from a personal level to a global one.”
— Allan J. Hamilton, MD, FACS, author of Zen Mind, Zen Horse: The Science and Spirituality of Working with Horses
“In The Power of the Herd Linda Kohanov reveals the ways in which humans can learn from the behavior and social infrastructure of horses. Well written and well researched, this book is a valuable contribution to the literature on interspecies communication.”
— Andrew Weil, MD, author of Spontaneous Happiness
“Complex and multi-layered....there are many rewards as Kohanov explains the ‘interspecies culture,’ the connection between ‘emotional intelligence’ and professional success and shares meaningful examples of individuals who have learned valuable life lessons from their horses.”
— Publishers Weekly
“Belongs at the top of your list of books to read this year. Sweeping in scope, Kohanov’s latest work is a blend of scholarship and storytelling so finely crafted that you’ll want to pause occasionally just to marvel at the quality of the writing. It’s a fascinating read, brought to life with examples drawn from historical figures and the evolution of human development as well as lessons learned from years of working with her beloved horses. This is a book to be savored.”
— Bob Wall, author of Coaching for Emotional Intelligence: The Secret to Developing the Star Potential in Your Employees
“For millennia we humans were mere prey. We’re here only because some of our ancestors could mimic the animals who knew how to run the gauntlet of the great carnivores. Horses are one of those creatures still amongst us. Linda Kohanov is that rare twenty-first-century watcher with the wit to see the lessons horses can still teach us and the talent to harness it in this remarkable book. She lays out a powerful case that our evolution still rides on the shoulders of these giants.”
— Meg Daley Olmert, author of Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond
August 1, 2025
read enough, not to mark it under "abandoned". the first part has a lot of scattered points that i couldnt point down the meaning of. the second half explains the principles. but the main message of non-predatory leadership was so diffused, the author made it hard to understand (even if you work with horses).
i do get her point, the text could be better organized though.
i do get her point, the text could be better organized though.
September 2, 2019
Hands down one of my favorite books, but it took me a while! Almost a year! It's THAT densely packed.
It really helped me really understand how my energy impacts those around me and how to be more congruent so that what I'm saying matches my energy.
I truly believe this book is absolutely an essential read for innovative leaders that believe in a world where we share non-predatory power.
This book is especially for women that believe there is more to life and human connection than meets the eye.
It really helped me really understand how my energy impacts those around me and how to be more congruent so that what I'm saying matches my energy.
I truly believe this book is absolutely an essential read for innovative leaders that believe in a world where we share non-predatory power.
This book is especially for women that believe there is more to life and human connection than meets the eye.
August 10, 2016
I loved Linda's previous books (The Tao of Equus and Riding Between the Worlds), but was less enthralled by this one.
The first part of the book focuses fairly heavily on recounting the tales of some invidivuals who were apparently good leaders. Maybe it's because I'm not from the US, but I personally couldn't care less for George Washington's personal struggles and interpersonal challenges. I would've been far more interested in personal stories about clients and horses, like those featured in the previous books.
The second part offers twelve guiding principles to boost your personal and interpersonal skills. This part was interesting, but I found the strategies to be quite complex. Twelve is quite a large number to memorise and stick to, and in addition some of the protocols contain well over ten steps. For me, this is far too complex a guideline. While it will be interesting to refer back to some of these strategies when reflecting upon situations I've come across, the whole set is far too extensive and elaborate to function as a simple, everyday guide.
All in all this book was interesting to read and I've definitely picked up some good ideas, but I'd definitely recommend Linda's other books (especially Riding Between the Worlds) over this one.
The first part of the book focuses fairly heavily on recounting the tales of some invidivuals who were apparently good leaders. Maybe it's because I'm not from the US, but I personally couldn't care less for George Washington's personal struggles and interpersonal challenges. I would've been far more interested in personal stories about clients and horses, like those featured in the previous books.
The second part offers twelve guiding principles to boost your personal and interpersonal skills. This part was interesting, but I found the strategies to be quite complex. Twelve is quite a large number to memorise and stick to, and in addition some of the protocols contain well over ten steps. For me, this is far too complex a guideline. While it will be interesting to refer back to some of these strategies when reflecting upon situations I've come across, the whole set is far too extensive and elaborate to function as a simple, everyday guide.
All in all this book was interesting to read and I've definitely picked up some good ideas, but I'd definitely recommend Linda's other books (especially Riding Between the Worlds) over this one.
May 15, 2014
not very light reading and the first part was a tough, but the part on emotions was very good.
It's a management book, nit a book on horses.
It's a management book, nit a book on horses.
Want to read
April 29, 2015tuebl
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews