Christmas and the time in between the years are a good time to pause and reflect on this year. How did you experience 2024? How much are you affected by world events and the political situation in your own country? And are you taking any professional challenges with you into the holidays? 
 
With this very personal newsletter, we invite you to reflect on what Christmas really means and what it means to be human, both privately and professionally. With this in mind, simply take time for what matters. We wish you a Merry Christmas with your loved ones and look forward to seeing you again in the New Year. 

Christmas is a celebration of love, giving and togetherness. But the reality is often different. In our digitalised and anonymised world, it’s often more about appearances and ego than truthfulness and being there for each other. This is precisely why compassion and humanity are more important to us than ever. We are driven to do something about it. What contribution can I make to make the world more humane and therefore a little better? How can I do this in my private life and in my professional life? 
 
In my private life, it is important for me (Ingrid) to be attentive and to see whether someone needs help. And even when it doesn’t fit, to actually be there and even actively offer support to strangers. 
 
Giving gives. ‘Give something before you ask’ is a quote from my colleague Tommaso.  This deeply human principle can also be applied to everyday working life. Our leadership coaching aims to help people realise their full potential and support them in acting in a tangibly authentic way and connecting with others consciously and proactively. 
 
When you as a leader show genuine interest in your colleagues or ask someone who is not doing so well, how they are feeling, you create space for dialogue and a new level of relationship that goes beyond a pure focus on results.

The human connection is crucial so that everyone feels seen and valued for their skills and needs. Through the tangible connection, the team discovers what great potential it has. Everyone in the team realises: when we are connected with each other and share our feelings and issues without reservation, so much more is possible. This connection will lead to measurably better results and create an environment where employees enjoy working well, actively ask for help and identify with the company.

‘Humankind: a Hopeful History’ is an inspiring book full of ideas for improving the world that inspires hope. The Dutch historian, thinker and author Rutger Bregman, born in 1988, uses examples from psychology, economics, biology, history and archaeology to demonstrate what has made the human species strong enough to survive: Cohesion and co-operation. Only through trusting co-operation and a naive confidence in the future have we managed to leave our days as hunter-gatherers behind us and live together peacefully for the most part. Just read on and let’s stay optimistic for good reason.

We have just enjoyed an exciting week of workshops in late summer in the Lüneburger Heide. And as always, the coaching sessions with the horses were the highlights for the participants. After all, you’re smarter afterwards. And changed in a positive way. But before that, our work with horses is often questioned. Why do we need horses? What is their added value? Do I have to be able to handle horses well or even ride them? 
 
That’s why we want to explain to you in this newsletter what Equine Guided Education is, what function the horses have and what possibilities coaching with horses offers. In a personal interview, Tommaso talks about his passion for horses and what he has learned from them. You will discover how rewarding it is to explore new terrain together with the horses and with us.

equine guided education. why horses are the best coaches.

Equine Guided Education (EGE) was developed by Ariana Strozzi Mazzucchi in California at the end of the 1980s. The horsewoman discovered that horses can reveal the development process of humans fast and with very profound results. The reason for this is that horses perceive us humans as part of their environment. They sense our energy and react sensitively to every change. They directly reflect our emotions and body language in their behaviour. 

EGE utilises the intuition and sensitivity of horses. The EGE coach helps you to connect emotionally with the horse, puts you under targeted pressure and translates the animals’ non-judgemental feedback. You become aware of your body language, learn to be present and to lead the horse naturally. The experience of leading naturally and effectively will change you and enrich your leadership style enormously.

Interview:

three questions for tommaso migliozzi,
equilibrio partner and ege-coach.

Equine Guided Education Coach Tommaso Migliozzi has an highly unusual gift of being able to concisely perceive emotions and to read people’s body language. The passionate horseman lived in California for several years, where he was trained by EGE pioneer Ariana Strozzi Mazzucchi to support managers and teams in their personal and team development for more than 10 years now. In this interview, Tommaso talks about his experiences with Equine Guided Education and why he views people in coaching in the same way as horses do.

Where does your passion for horses come from?

My grandfather, after a long and legendary poker night, won a horse, a racehorse. It was a colt of 6 years old called Kimbo. Kimbo was my Christmas present from my grandfather and then it became the sake of my young life. At that time I was only 10 years old, but I was very committed to ride Kimbo. After all I did ride Kimbo and many other horses and became a horseman in this way.

How did you become an Equine Guided Education Coach?

For my job I was in San Francisco area as a morning rider for an important racehorse stable in Petaluma. There I met Ashley Cameron Smith, a charming horsewoman, who introduced me to Skyhorse Ranch. There Ariana Strozzi offered me to start watching the world through the horses eyes; I did and I did love it!

What is the most important lesson you have learnt from the horses?

The list is always in progress, but for sure the three most important practices in my life coming from the horses are: be present, be open and be connected!

what we have learnt from the horses.

Participants of the equilibrio programme talk about their experiences.

“There were so many learnings during the session but I think the most important one is to recognise when we become a “factor” for another being. The horse provides an accurate opportunity to develop your mindfulness and self-awareness.” Carlos

“The horses have shown me what is possible when you are connected with yourself and with others.“ Dagmar 

“You can learn a lot about your own effectiveness from horses. How important presence and clarity are in order to create trust and lead the way as an effective leader. Horses have taught me how much energy I have inside me and how I can call on it when it matters.” Klemens 

“From the horses I have learned how important it is to consciously complete activities and not be afraid that nothing will follow. This way, I feel fulfilled what I have achieved and gain energy and desire to start something new.”  Marie

Are you leading your life? Or is it leading you? asks Ariana Strozzi Mazzucchi. In her bestseller, the author and EGE pioneer explains how horses become our teachers by reflecting our inner world and changing our self-perception. She shows what it means to lead ourselves by making conscious decisions instead of merely reacting to the pressures of life.

Equilibrio provides the all-important reality check. The non-judgmental feedback of the horses is the basis for reflection, optimisation and internalisation of the natural leadership style.
 
At our location Forellenhof, we work with four horses that have never been ridden by humans. They live together as a small herd and act naturally – with each other and with us humans. The experience of working with them and growing personally through their feedback will have a lasting effect on you. So, get out of your comfort zone and give it a try.

What do you think? Does it make sense to share your emotions with your employees? Or is it better to stay on a purely rational level? Many leaders avoid showing their feelings in the workplace. They think that vulnerability will be interpreted as weakness and that they will ultimately be seen as soft, incompetent and less assertive. However, the exclusive focus on rationality and intellect means that these managers are not perceived as human, isolate themselves and lose their connection to the team.

Leadership needs emotional intelligence. And leaders need techniques to recognise their deep-seated emotions, deal with them consciously and lead effectively and  in a human way. We have developed a method to do exactly this, which we present to you in this newsletter. Lead your emotions in equilibrio.

People are far more than just rationality. If you don’t have good access to your emotions and only focus on work content, without paying attention to the people around you, you will lose the connection. To yourself and to your team. Isolated from others, you can’t evaluate how individuals are doing, what they are achieving and how the team as a whole is functioning. It’s almost impossible to see the bigger picture.

At the same time, others are aware of your emotions. You can’t hide them. Feelings unconsciously determine our actions. Enthusiasm and compassion motivate and create a connection. On the other hand, fear and insecurity make us appear passive. We are not perceived as leaders. In addition, it can happen that we act out negative feelings that have deep-rooted causes, become angry or even insulting.

Emotional intelligence is the key to trustworthy, authentic and effective leadership. We have developed a method to help you become aware of your emotions and develop your leadership skills and emotional intelligence.

lead your emotions in equilibrio.

Our work begins with Lumina Emotion. Here we create access to your feelings and enable you to express them in an appreciative language. The individual Lumina Emotion Portrait shows which emotions resonate most deeply with you and which less.

Here is an example: people with a high level of resilience thrive under pressure and have a high tolerance for stress in their life. If this trait is overextended, it is possible that their lack of stress perception makes them appear unconcerned and indifferent to others and they may lack a sense of urgency in certain situations.

with the profile to the pros. working with the horses.

Once we have created your portrait and defined your development goal, we do a reality check in coaching with the horses. We observe how you react emotionally when you meet the horses. Do the horses pay attention to you and do you connect with them? We then put you under pressure. This allows you to experience how your body reacts in a stressful situation, which feelings are triggered and how your emotional behaviour becomes unbalanced.

In the next step, we bring ratio, intuition and emotion together and explore the underlying causes of your emotional behaviour. Building on this, we develop exercises together that help you to control your own emotional behaviour.

A further step towards self-management. You can embrace your emotions and consciously deal with them. This allows you to be perceived authentically, build trust and lead your team as a natural leader in a human and effective way.

try for yourself. lumina emotion portrait free of charge.

Are you interested in developing your emotional intelligence?  Get in touch through our contact page – preferably now. The first five interested persons will receive a coaching and a personal Lumina Emotion portrait free of charge.

Hooray, it’s spring! Nature is green and awake, the birds are singing and the days are finally longer again. We want to go out, smell the forest and feel the sun on our skin. That’s good and healthy. Because nature heals us, energises us, and brings us back to balance.
 
In this newsletter, we take you out into nature. You will learn more about the positive effect of natural environments on our health and on our ability to concentrate, and you will see how you can increase your presence with an outdoor exercise and find your inner balance outside with equilibrio. Just follow your nature and come along!

Nature heals. People who are in touch with nature suffer less from stress, anxiety and depression and feel better overall. Regular contact with natural light and fresh air ensures that we sleep better and can recover better. Scientists are questioning why this is the case and have been investigating the effect of nature on our brains for several decades. In the 1980s, psychologists Rachel and Stephen Kaplan developed the now highly acknowledged attention restoration theory (ART), which hypothesizes that spending time in nature improves our concentration and renews our attention after a mental effort. Research using EEG and other measures confirm this. Rhythmic brain activity during nature exposure indicates better attention, higher functional connectivity and altered sensory processing. Exactly these findings correspond with increased focus, cognitive flexibility and creativity. 
 
In short: integrating nature into your everyday life improves your well-being and performance. Just give it a try. Our exercise will help you.

equilibrio – powered by nature.

In nature, everything naturally follows a rhythm without any hectic pace. A new cycle begins in spring – it is the awakening phase. Our coaching partners, the horses, lose their winter coat, eat less, move more and look more athletic again. They are part of nature, live in the now, and are present.

We can learn from them and use the power of nature for our equilibrio programme. Whether in the forests and meadows of the Lüneburger Heide or on the rocky plateaus in the vastness of Sardinia – our locations create ideal conditions for being consciously present with all your senses and recharging your batteries. Because where little is going on, marvellous things happen.

After doing exercises together on the Lumina mat or coaching with the horses, you have time for yourself. During the silent walk alone in nature, your inner voice is given space. You have the peace and quiet to listen to yourself, consciously perceive your thoughts, emotions and inspiration and to capture them in a picture or with notes. Do you want to be connected to yourself in nature? Sign up for one of our workshops.

The Japanese Daruma doll is a lucky charm and, as I know, a very good helper in the fulfilment of wishes. I brought this little figurine back from our wonderful trip to Japan last summer. At the time, however, it still had completely white eyes. Then Tommaso and I made our wish and – as the ritual would have it – drew a pupil in one of her eyes. On 3 April, the time had come. We were allowed to paint the second pupil. Because on that very day, we were able to fulfil our equilibrio heart’s desire. What is it about? A new place in Italy where you can be with yourself and with us. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we’ve made a start. And the Daruma already lives there. More to sea soon.

Artificial intelligence is changing our (working) world. Fundamentally and rapidly. For most of us, the question is to what extent AI will influence our own job. In this newsletter, we too look at this omnipresent topic, but focus on human qualities. Because it is precisely these qualities that make the difference to intelligent technology.

We highlight what makes us humans special and what opportunities arise when we are aware of our feelings and utilise our human potential. And, are you curious? Fantastic. Because curiosity is human.

our question for chatgpt:

human beats artificial.
what sets us apart and makes us special.

AI enables machines to use intelligence and learn when performing tasks. In a study, the Americans T. Eloundou, S. Manning, P. Mishkin and D. Rock predict that LLM-based software (large language models such as ChatGPT) will be used in 47-56% of work tasks in the future. (Source: BPB, Federal Agency for Civic Education, 2023)

The more excellent the performance of machines becomes, the more important unique human strengths become. So what characterises the human success principle beyond knowledge, intelligence and physical abilities? It is our humanity, it is the “soft factors”, it is our emotions. Being human means acting empathetically, compassionately and intuitively. Being human means living with and for each other, being able to communicate and work in a team. It is our human strength to combine reason and emotion and to be creative. So let’s become aware of our feelings and human strengths and use them in a targeted way to shape our digitalised and technologized world in a human way.

What is your answer to the question “How do you feel?” Now, in this moment? Many people only answer “Good” and therefore don’t really answer at all. They are not aware of their emotional state and are therefore unable to express themselves clearly and in a differentiated way. But it is extremely important to know what you are feeling. Because we all have stress triggers that lead to instinctive body reactions. Those who are able to recognise their emotions and act in harmony with them have a clear advantage.

Here’s an example: Imagine a person (or situation) unconsciously triggers anger in you. Your body reacts first. You get warm, you turn red, you feel your pulse. Then you act out, get loud, lash out. And then you regret your behaviour. You didn’t want to be provoked, but you couldn’t prevent it.

This is exactly where equilibrio helps. Coaching with horses gives you access to your deep-seated emotions. We put you under targeted pressure in a safe environment so that your emotional behaviour patterns come to light. But now you have the chance to consciously perceive your behaviour and receive non-judgemental feedback. Because the sensitive horses react to the energy you are radiating – and take flight. We repeat the exercise. You learn to recognise the anger that arises and take a deep breath. The horses sense that you are becoming calmer. They feel safe again and come closer. By becoming aware of your own emotional state and impact on others and managing it, the development begins, that will have a lasting effect on your professional and personal relationships. You learn to lead yourself and others naturally and in the best human sense.

Christmas is the festive season for families. Are you looking forward to spending time with your loved ones? And are you enjoying the quiet days in between the years? We also celebrate Christmas with presents on Christmas Eve, but in combination with a good Dutch tradition. After Christmas dinner, we give each other small presents, which are always accompanied by a very personalised poem. The poem is based on the recipient, their personality or specific events and is actually more important than the gift itself. While the recipient recites their poem out loud, there is usually a lot of laughter and sometimes a few tears are shed from emotion. It’s simply beautiful!

As an entrepreneur, you naturally never switch off completely. Especially in family businesses, the company often sits at the table during the holidays. We have been consulting the Dönitz family business, a display and packaging specialist, for many years and are supporting the new leadership generation to thrive after the successful succession. In an interview, the new management duo talk about the change and their motivation to inspire people with particularly beautiful and customised packaging. Which brings us back to Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

interview:

three questions for anna-lena köhler and julian röhrs, the new management duo at the dönitz family business.

Dönitz stands for customised, aesthetically pleasing displays made of paper and cardboard. Founded in 1992 by Horst-Wilhelm Röhrs, the company underwent a generational change at the beginning of the year. Since then, siblings Anna-Lena Köhler and Julian Röhrs have been running the successful family business. We have been consulting the company for 10 years, supported the succession of management to the next generation and, from spring 2023, accompanied the new leaders and their management team with the equilibrio programme. 
 
The aims of the ongoing process are to strengthen the authentic leadership style of the younger generation, as well as to develop and define binding values and guidelines for management and leadership in order to lead the company into the future together. 

The new Dönitz management duo and their team. From left to right: Boris Häntze, Julian Röhrs, Anna-Lena Köhler, Jendrik Inselmann, Grzegorz Gawlowski.

In this interview, the siblings talk about what drives them, how they experience the generational change and how equilibrio supports them in this process.
 
What is your personal motivation to continue running the company?
We grew up as a family of entrepreneurs! A sense of solidarity and responsibility towards the company and its employees has developed during this time. These values, as well as gratitude and pride for what we have achieved, drive us to continue to run the company, develop it further and align it for the future and the next generations.
 
What is the biggest challenge in the generational change?
The prerequisite for a successful generational handover is the willingness of both generations to accept the change! Mutual honesty and openness about the respective needs are important here. The generational handover needs to be planned in advance so that clarity is established for the new and old generations and employees can be informed and involved.
 
How is equilibrio helping you? 
equilibrio supported and advised us throughout the entire process of generational handover in terms of planning, focusing and implementation. equilibrio created a space for emotional and safe dialogue in which everyone involved was able to express their needs openly. 

Family businesses often face similar challenges. The owners manage and shape their company for decades with passion and skill. Their children basically grow up with the company. But when it comes to succession, conflicts often arise. It is then particularly important to clarify fundamental issues with each other and set the course for the future together. How can you hand over what you have created? Who is willing and able to take on responsibility? And what expectations are associated with this? We support family businesses in this process, create clarity and help to ensure that the next generation grows together with the team and follows its own path into the future.

Are you also in a process of change? Do you want to clarify what drives you in the new year? Or bring your team together and lead them into the future with top motivation? Register for one of our workshops.

Forellenhof – our beautiful workshop location in the Lüneburger Heide (near Hamburg) – is also a successful family business. “If you don’t go with the times, you go with time” is the motto of today’s senior manager Udo Fuhrhop, who handed over the business to his son Nils in 2018 and thus to the third generation.

the equilibrio tip for December:

christmas tree leasing.

For many people, Christmas without a festively decorated tree is unimaginable. Around 30 million trees are felled and sold in Germany every year. But why throw away a spruce or fir tree after 3 weeks that has been growing for 10 years? Renting instead of buying is the sustainable alternative. The Christmas tree is brought in a pot, picked up again after the holidays and replanted. After regular discussions in our family about whether a Christmas tree is still appropriate, we decided to lease one for the first time this year and are looking forward to our robust Nordmann fir from www.weihnachtsurwald.de/hamburg. Are you interested too? You can find many regional or nationwide providers on the web, such as www.replants.de.

Now that the days are getting shorter and darker, our energy levels are also falling. That makes it all the more important to get out and soak up nature. Nature and community are fundamentally important to us. Research confirms that people who are close to nature suffer less from stress, anxiety and depression, feel better overall and are more satisfied. But there is much more to it than that. Those who are one with nature will not destroy it. Those who are connected with others take responsibility – for each other and for the common good.

A perfect example of the power of community is the Holi Social platform. I facilitated the Holi team in September and discovered that we have a lot in common. In the interview with co-founder Piet Mahler, you can learn more about the digital meeting place for people and organisations who want to make a difference together. We also travel with you to the Italian coast, where we tested a new workshop format. Come along and be inspired.

Interview:

three questions to piet mahler,
ceo and co-founder of holi social.

We read “love our planet” and “love your neighbour” on the holi social website. Holi is the digital space for engaged people and non-profit organisations to take action together. We feel very connected to the team and their work. Probably also because we share common goals and complement each other well. With us, people find out what drives them and what contribution they want to make. And with holi, they have the opportunity to put their plans into action with others. In the interview, holi co-founder Piet Mahler talks about his drive and the chance to create a better world together.

Why did you found holi?

At holi, we believe that everyone can make a positive impact on today’s global challenges. However, many social initiatives need digital help to organise their important work. At the same time, many people want to volunteer, but lack the concrete idea or access to suitable projects. We want to change that!

How would you like to support people on holi?

holi wants to be a home for social initiatives and for people who are looking for an easy entry into social engagement. We bundle existing offers from partners so that people can quickly find their way around and get involved – with open source tools for internal communication, donations and volunteering.

What are your ambitions for the future?

holi aims to become a community-orientated ecosystem for inspiration, collaboration and networking to create positive impact together – in the digital space and in real life.

Consciousness determines being. When we no longer focus on individual well-being, but see ourselves as part of the whole, we improve our relationships. With ourselves, with others and with our planet.

In nature you quickly find your own nature.

A quiet, natural environment is indispensable for our workshops. Because nature supports our work. This is another reason why our participants quickly connect to themselves. Last month, we tested a new workshop format in Cilento, Italy, which is entirely characterised by the rhythm of nature, the sea and sensory experiences. We start the day with our feet in the sea to find our own centre. We feel the vastness and power of nature. The water gives clarity, the horizon opens the view. This creates space for inspiration. We focus entirely on our senses: What do you hear? How does the water feel? Can you feel the wind? An important ritual in the evening is to experience the sunset on the sea together. Pausing, reflecting on what has happened and consciously ending the day. A happy ending that awakens the anticipation of the next morning. Do you also feel the need to be connected with yourself and nature? Simply register for one of our workshops.

the equilibrio book tip:

leading from the emerging future

of C. Otto Scharmer and Katrin Käufer

Climate change, resource scarcity, a growing gap between rich and poor … Otto Scharmer and Katrin Kaufer ask: Why do we collectively create outcomes that nobody wants? To meet the challenges of this century, we need to shift our economic logic and operating system from an outdated “ego system” that focuses exclusively on our own well-being to an ecosystem consciousness that focuses on the well-being of the whole. Filled with real-world examples, this guide presents best practices for building a new economy where the We wins.

Travelling is always a source of inspiration. Did you explore another country this summer? I was lucky enough to travel to Japan with my family and want to share some experiences with you today. What immediately strikes you in Japan is the peace, safety and cleanliness. The streets, public toilets and parks are extremely clean, even in Tokyo, although there are hardly any public trash cans there. And even the world’s busiest railway station, Shinjuku, which is visited by 3.6 million people every day, is quiet and harmonious. In many ways you sense that in the Japanese culture the collective is more important than the individual and that each individual takes responsibility for the community. This mutual consideration is also reflected in language. On the train, for example, it is not “No talking”, but “Refrain from talking”. For the good of those around you, please refrain from talking. So, do as the Japanese do, enjoy a few minutes of silence and inspiration and let yourself be taken to Japan in this blog article.

ikigai. the key to a long and fulfilling life

The Japanese live extraordinarily long lives. One of the reasons for this is the Japanese art of living ikigai (literally “iki = life” and “gai = meaning”). This principle of life, deeply rooted in Japanese culture, is a conscious focus on what is worth living for. Ikigai has many facets. It can refer to the small things in everyday life as well as to the big events in life. What is decisive is that people with ikigai consciously shape their lives and therefore become less ill and older.

The Japanese brain researcher Ken Mogi takes a scientific look at the Japanese art of living Ikigai and uses many examples to explain how you can find your own path to a healthy and fulfilled life. It’s good to read. See for yourself.

the five pillars of ikigai*:

*From „The little book of IKIGAI“ by Ken Mogi

ikigai and equilibrio:
brothers and sisters in spirit

There are many overlaps between the principles of ikigai and our work. For sustainable personal development, it is important to start small, set realistic goals based on the status quo and take the development journey from there step by step. Where do I stand? What do I want to work on? What is my commitment? And what exactly am I planning to do in the near future? 

In the equilibrio workshops we train mindfulness for the small things: the sound of the wind, the gesture of another participant, the posture and reactions of the horses. You are in the now. During the coaching, supported by the work with the horses, you learn to be open and present. You develop your natural leadership and can consciously lead yourself (and your team) into the future. 

With equilibrio you find out what is worth living and working for. Talk to us about your participation in our Natural Leadership Programme. 

the equilibrio art tip: yayoi kusama.
an artist who has dedicated her life to circles.

The circle is a symbol of wholeness and balance, it also stands for community and a sense of unity, and as the “circle of life” it is an important element of equilibrio. When I saw works by the world-famous artist Yayoi Kusama in Japan, I was immediately fascinated. The artist, who is now 94 years old, has spent almost her entire life working with circles. She covers her works with “polka dots”, sees herself and others as circles, invites us to dissolve ourselves and the ego and become one with the universe. And this is exactly what she makes us experience with her installations, infinitiy rooms and paintings.

Yayoi Kusama From 1945 to the Present | 2023
Spain | Guggenheim Bilbao | 27.6. – 8.10.2023

The famous pumpkin sculpture “Yellow Pumpkin” by Yayoi Kusama stands on the footbridge of the Museum of Contemporary Art on Naoshima Island. The artist associates childhood memories with this work: She once played in the pumpkin fields that surrounded her parents’ house.

Are you currently in home office or on-site in the office? And how does flexible working function in your environment? The pandemic has accelerated digitalisation and changed the way we work. While home office used to be a privilege, it is now everyday life in many companies and organisations.*

On the one hand, it’s great that we work more flexibly, digitally and efficiently. On the other hand, we also realise that too much home office is often too little. Where is the team spirit in team meetings? Where is the short “hello” and the exchange in the corridor? How do you lead your team when you no longer see people regularly? And how do newcomers fit into the team and the company?

Whether virtual or real: teamwork makes the dream work. People need connection. And that’s exactly why we invite you with this newsletter to stay in touch. With your environment, with yourself and of course with us.

* According to a survey by the Hans Böckler Foundation, three quarters of employees who have experienced working at home during Covid want to continue working at least partly from home.

As human beings, we have a deep desire for connection, exchange and strong relationships. We need the feeling of belonging and want to be a valuable part of a group. This insight is also reflected in the African philosophy of life called Ubuntu, which is practiced mainly in southern Africa. The word Ubuntu comes from the Bantu language and means something like “humanity”, ” love of one’s fellow beings” and “public spirit”. Ubuntu refers to a basic attitude based on mutual respect, respect for human dignity and striving for a harmonious society, but also refers to the belief in a “universal bond of sharing that connects everything human”.

stay connected.
with each other and with yourself.

Being in connection is also an important part of our work at equilibrio – especially when coaching in nature and with the horses. Through mindfulness exercises you sharpen your senses and immerse yourself in nature. The sensitive horses sense your energy and directly reflect your emotions and thoughts in their behaviour. If you are genuine and present, you can connect emotionally with the horse under the guidance of the EGE coach, set a clear direction and lead the animal naturally.

This is a fundamental experience that shows: without connection, for example to your team, you cannot lead. And the connection to others comes through openness and emotion. Authentic and present, you are experienced as a natural leader and can lead yourself and your team with confidence. Try it for yourself. Contact us and register for an equilibrio Leadership Programme in September.

Constructive feedback is extremely important because it shows us what we ourselves do not see so that we can change things for the better. In the case of our communication feedback from two participants in our programme set the ball rolling. After taking part in an equilibrio workshop in Sardinia the owners of a communication agency said to us, “Your programme is great, but the communication doesn’t represent you. There is definitely potential for improvement.” Really? We had been completely unaware of this until then, questioned our performance and decided to change something. Shortly afterwards, we participated in a workshop to start a comprehensive brand development process… and today our new website is online. We are very excited because it really represents us and of course we’d like to know if it appeals to you too.

equilibrio is a state of emotional and intellectual equilibrium, as all interacting forces are in balance. This is exactly what the new logo and claim are meant to convey.

it’s up to you:

Please take a look at our new website and let us know if you like it and if it represents us. We need your feedback to keep getting better. Thank you.

Communication is effective when it corresponds to the identity of a brand and is therefore authentic. When we started working for equilibrio, it quickly became clear that the programme was much more than the communication at the time suggested. Although the holistic equilibrio approach was described, it could not be experienced in the communication. This had to be changed. With authentic communication that moves emotionally and convinces rationally. With a logo that is itself in balance. With a clear language and memorable messages. And with a design that makes the unique visible. Have we been successful? See for yourself.

The process of brand development has a lot in common with our equilibrio programme. It’s about identifying who you are, what drives you and what you are particularly good at. But because you don’t know how to get there, you ask yourself: Do I really need this? And is it worth the investment? So there’s only one thing left to do: you have to trust and fully engage in the process. You will be surprised at what becomes possible.

Do you also want to go on a journey and learn more about your individual strengths and potentials? Simply register on our website for a free Lumina portrait. Together we will bring out your hidden pearls.