2. CONTENTS
• Program outline
• What you need to do in advance
• What to expect on the day
• Logistics

3. PROGRAM OUTLINE
• The EQiLead program is suitable as both an existing team
initiative or delivered to a group of individuals
• For existing teams it is designed to integrate into an
organisation’s Leadership Development adopting our REINS
framework
• R - Reconnaissance
• E - Engage the Team
• I - Immersive in the Arena (the workshop)
• N - iNcorporate Learnings
• S - Sharpen the Saw

4. PROGRAM OUTLINE

5. Through practical, hands-on experience, each
participant will
Explore
leadership style
Build a team by
collaboration
Receive unique
feedback
In a safe, supportive and non-threatening
environment, participants will be taken on a
personal journey of discovery to help them
better understand emotional intelligence (EQ)
and its importance to any leader’s success.

6. “University courses provide an intellectual discussion
of leadership. Vicki’s program provides the
opportunity for aspiring leaders to understand what
leadership may mean in practice.”
Course participant 2017

7. WHAT IS IT
An effective leader requires the
ability to connect with others
and forge strong relationships.
This challenges the notion of
control and requires self-
awareness in environments that
are both familiar and unfamiliar.
EQiLead, through experiential
learning, develops the ability to
connect requiring empathy and
self-awareness.
The program is an invitation to
engage with a horse through
understanding trust, respect and
being fully present.

8. “There is nothing like experiential learning to help you understand
what learning should be all about. And that is exactly what this
course does.
What each individual gets out of this course is unique and they
can all learn from it, but what the group as a collective learns is
beyond measure. It is the collective learnings that reinforces how
each of our individual behaviours contributes towards building a
culture of leardership within an organisation, starting with the
individual. There are learnings here for every person and every
organisation.”
Course participant

9. About Vicki Macdermid
• Vicki is a partner at pre-eminent accounting and business
advisory firm, Pitcher Partners.
• With a strong ethos of innovation, Vicki presented her paper
on ‘What horses teach us about leadership’ as part of her
Applied Masters of Entrepreneurship degree studies.
• Since then, Vicki has presented her findings to leadership
seminars, university classes and large corporations such as
Qantas and delivered the program to many groups and
senior leadership teams, including Chobani Australia.
• Vicki recently presented at TEDx Casey which can be seen
here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPG1ugEwYUo&t=354s
• And more about the program can be seen here
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=eqilead

10. Vicki's session with the horses was amazing and insightful. It
was enjoyed by all of our leadership team. Some team
members actively participated in the ring with the horse,
whilst others were more comfortable observing. Regardless
of the type of involvement each team member had, it
allowed the whole team the opportunity to be open and
there for each other during the process. I would highly
recommend Vicki and her program to all!
Peter Meek
Managing Director Chobani Australia

11. I had the immense pleasure of having Vicki in class several years
ago. She has a unique ability to connect the dots, to see how two
(or more) things can be integrated to make something brand new,
and to see how that something can be of great practical value. She
is enthusiastic and passionate, and can transform the room. I look
forward to speaking to her just to hear her ideas.
Andy Aylesworth
Associate Professor at Bentley University

12. Vicki Macdermid first came to my notice in the first class I taught at Pitcher Partners in 2011 on
Entrepreneurship and Innovation – an in-house program of the University of Adelaide for the
degree Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Over the following 4 years I taught Vicki a number of times. She proved an excellent student
through her intellectual capacity, creativity and entrepreneurial mindset and graduated with a
high distinction.
For her research project, “WHAT HORSES TEACH US ABOUT LEADERSHIP – AT AN EMOTIONAL
AND SPIRITUAL LEVEL”,
Vicki approached me to be her supervisor. I was honoured to accept this challenge and
participate in a deep learning experience that demonstrated decisively the deep
connection between head and heart when relating to a horse at a spiritual level to achieve both
attention and maintain connection.
Using case studies, and her own personal experience, Vicki showed how the application of this
learning experience could both facilitate and enrich creative leadership development amongst
business staff. This very innovative application of the learning technique provides real value to
the participant.
I highly recommend Vicki as a first class practitioner, not only in assimilating learning through
‘horse-sense’, but in applying the learning to value creation in the business and customer setting.
Professor Murray Gillin AM
Emeritus Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

13. LOGISTICS – Driving directions
• Victoria’s Stables is located at 855 Kooweerup Road, Pakenham South and entry is from
Watson Road
• From Melbourne - Take the M1 towards Warragul. There are 3 Pakenham exits – we are
the third & it is sign posted Pakenham/Kooweerup.
• Turn right at the roundabout off the freeway, through the next roundabout, then
through a set of traffic lights. About 1.5 kilometres along, you will see the Water
Treatment Plant on the left, then there is a sweeping left hand bend in the road & just
a little further up if you look straight ahead, you will see an enormous arena on the
right. At this point you should slow down - Watson Road is a tiny lane and is on the
right.
• It is easy to miss – if you get to Hall Road (on your left) you have gone too far – a lot of
people do. Soldiers Road is just a little further ahead and has a shoulder entry, so easy
to turn around.
• It is the first driveway on Watson Road – push the button for the automatic gates in
front of the letterbox and proceed towards the round yard and stables.
• https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/855+Koo+Wee+Rup+Rd,+Pakenham+VIC+381
0/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x6ad61d797fd6004d:0xcff07e278ed5d141?sa=X&ei=8fAYVbHbF
MaB8QW12IJo&ved=0CBwQ8gEwAA

14. LOGISTICS – What to bring
Please bring:
- A warm coat, gloves, hat & covered in shoes (the “breeze” from
the Koowee swamps can be like the Arctic!)
- Your disclaimer & photo release
- Your curiosity and generosity