On Sunday, September 6th, in the beautiful Farma Michael, our Tango & Horses workshop explored a question I find central to both life and leadership: how do we know when to keep going, and when to stop, reset, and reconnect?
One principle ran through the whole day, linking horsemanship and Argentine tango: Propose → Interpret → Adjust.
We begin by communicating an intention. We observe the response. We adjust.
With horses, this starts with attention and connection, then moves through body, energy, position, and movement. We read the horse’s reaction — did he understand? Is he hesitant, distracted, uncomfortable? — and adjust accordingly.
In tango, the same logic holds: one partner proposes, the other responds, and the dance develops through continuous observation and adjustment.
The trouble starts when communication breaks down. We repeat ourselves. Push harder. Increase pressure. And in doing so, we lose the very connection we were trying to create.
This is where Reset & Reconnect becomes essential.
To reset is to interrupt the automatic reaction, to stop, breathe, let go of what we expect to be happening, and notice what actually is.
To reconnect is to restore attention, presence, and relationship before trying again.
Then the cycle resumes: Reconnect → Propose → Interpret → Adjust.
Resetting is not failure, and it isn’t going backwards. It’s often the most efficient way forward.
Whether with a horse, a tango partner, a colleague, or a team: effective communication isn’t about applying more pressure until you get the response you want. It’s about noticing when connection has broken, and having the presence of mind to reset, reconnect, and begin again, with more awareness, more clarity, more intention.
