Nicole Schaefer
The biggest question driving the work:
“How do I grow spiegelbild. into a sustainable business that can thrive for years to come?”
What is spiegelbild.?
spiegelbild. employs equine-assisted coaching, a unique and innovative approach to personal coaching and leadership development. Horses are used as teaching partners in the initial coaching session, which is then followed by a traditional in person coaching meetings.
Why horses? Horses have high situational awareness and a special sensitivity for a person’s displayed energy, emotions and intentions. Horses are also entirely unbiased towards one’s level of education, position, job seniority, age, gender, etc. They simply provide honest, candid feedback about an individual’s ability to communicate and connect by expressing clear intentions, awareness of emotions and energy, and the use of body language – all essential elements for leading people.
The interaction with horses in the spiegelbild. context is used to uncover and bring awareness to a person’s emotional intelligence (what is going on in oneself) and social intelligence (what is going on in the relationship with others). Further, the discovery includes awareness building for system’s intelligence, which is the energy or “entity” that exists in teams and relationships.
Remembering the Studio:
I get a lot of food for thought from being a member of the Studio. The depth of conversation and perspectives that other members bring to discussion creates a space that allows me to breathe and think. I thus experience the Studio as an airy space. I like that the Studio community allows me to meet and interact with different people who expand my perspectives. It’s very different from my day to day job. Everyone is very open which allows for many ideas to be sparked, and it also allows for personal and professional growth.
Points of Inspiration:
The work with people and horses gives me inspiration. Ideas come to me when I’m outdoors for a walk, or a run. I also have “ah ha” moments from having conversations and listening to people.
Advice for the road:
Get out there — this will help you gain new experiences and ultimately help you grow. I remember when I was a teacher at the university, I had a very bright student — top of the class — but, their interest was to complete school as fast as possible. To me, it’s not just about time, i.e. how fast you finish something, or the academic achievement, it’s also about gaining experience and expanding your boundaries.
Being exposed to different people, organizations and countries, and exposure to people and things that are unlike you can help broaden your horizons.
In my experience, no one has ever asked me how long something’s taken me to achieve. However, I have been asked “what is your experience, and what have you learned from it?”
If you’d like to get in touch with Nicole and learn more about her work, email: nicole.schaefer@me.com