Post by Kelly Marks on Oct 17, 2008 12:08:14 GMT 1
While still on tour and between the 7th and 8th venue I felt it was appropriate to address the IHDG. Only a few days ago I received a remarkable comment from an owner who had found great value in the Dually Halter.
It was particularly interesting to me that she used the comment 'It whispers correction and shouts praise'. After reflecting on this statement I have come to the conclusion that I too need to pay more attention to shouting praise. It seems to me that none of us take this aspect of our work seriously enough.
Whenever there is criticism or a negative statement it tends to draw us like a magnet into a defensive mode where we spend a lot of time and energy in a way counterproductive. No matter how hard I try the tendency is still to fall short where appropriate praise is warranted.
The IHDG has taken on a life of it's own and I consider it an entity rather than a collection of individuals. While this is silly and I clearly know the difference I think each of you might agree that this mentality often takes us over.
While my schedule is full the workload is ponderous I recently had the opportunity to be briefed on the collection of comments made with regard to the first 7 demonstrations. Remembering back responded to criticisms, it became clear to me that it was time to 'shout praise'.
'Who am I going to praise?' a group of people who are expressing they're feelings or an entity called the IHDG? Should I praise myself or the entire IH Team that have been the architect of my tours and demonstrations. I think I should praise those that have suggestions to me about how to better present my work.
It is clear that I should praise those that were critical because obviously caused me to think through my methods and the way they are presented. Without any question those that have returned see for themselves once again what my work is all about and have chosen to make positive comments regarding it.
Once again my life is blessed with the power to observe that the most important recipiant of praise should be the horses that continue to teach me how to get it right when it comes to meeting their needs. I have often stated that the horses were my greatest teachers and I sincerly believe that is true.
It seems to me that the need to receive shouts of praise falls squarely on the entire collection of characters I have just outlined. The single entity most responsible for creating the environment in which I conduct my demonstrations is, in fact, IH.
IH engineers the demonstrations, presents the horses and brings me the complete collection of individuals which consitute the DG. So let it be clear that to each and to all I 'shout praise'. It seems to me that the tours are being more positively received with every year. I would like to announce that I predict that when I'm 103 years of age I will have finally gotten it right!
Thank you to everyone on the IHDG for your support in so many ways and I look forward to meeting more of you at my demonstrations.
Monty Roberts
It was particularly interesting to me that she used the comment 'It whispers correction and shouts praise'. After reflecting on this statement I have come to the conclusion that I too need to pay more attention to shouting praise. It seems to me that none of us take this aspect of our work seriously enough.
Whenever there is criticism or a negative statement it tends to draw us like a magnet into a defensive mode where we spend a lot of time and energy in a way counterproductive. No matter how hard I try the tendency is still to fall short where appropriate praise is warranted.
The IHDG has taken on a life of it's own and I consider it an entity rather than a collection of individuals. While this is silly and I clearly know the difference I think each of you might agree that this mentality often takes us over.
While my schedule is full the workload is ponderous I recently had the opportunity to be briefed on the collection of comments made with regard to the first 7 demonstrations. Remembering back responded to criticisms, it became clear to me that it was time to 'shout praise'.
'Who am I going to praise?' a group of people who are expressing they're feelings or an entity called the IHDG? Should I praise myself or the entire IH Team that have been the architect of my tours and demonstrations. I think I should praise those that have suggestions to me about how to better present my work.
It is clear that I should praise those that were critical because obviously caused me to think through my methods and the way they are presented. Without any question those that have returned see for themselves once again what my work is all about and have chosen to make positive comments regarding it.
Once again my life is blessed with the power to observe that the most important recipiant of praise should be the horses that continue to teach me how to get it right when it comes to meeting their needs. I have often stated that the horses were my greatest teachers and I sincerly believe that is true.
It seems to me that the need to receive shouts of praise falls squarely on the entire collection of characters I have just outlined. The single entity most responsible for creating the environment in which I conduct my demonstrations is, in fact, IH.
IH engineers the demonstrations, presents the horses and brings me the complete collection of individuals which consitute the DG. So let it be clear that to each and to all I 'shout praise'. It seems to me that the tours are being more positively received with every year. I would like to announce that I predict that when I'm 103 years of age I will have finally gotten it right!
Thank you to everyone on the IHDG for your support in so many ways and I look forward to meeting more of you at my demonstrations.
Monty Roberts
Thankyou for such a lovely post Monty, but let it be said, that without you and Kelly, the entity that is the IHDG would not exist, and this huge collection of people and their horses would be the poorer for it. 
what a lovely thread.