By Dr. Susan Cain, LCSW, Leadership Coach, The Corporate Learning Institute www.corplearning.com Op/Ed

It wasn’t long ago that leadership theory experts informed us about the startling variety of leadership approaches out there. Let’s see, we have charismatic leaders, servant leaders, transformational leaders…the market is crowded with super-heroes and demigods all proclaiming the bright side of leadership theory.

But the real truth is that leaders, especially high profile ones, have to slog through the muck just like the rest of us—and it gets lonely at the top, folks.

Let’s take New York Times best-selling author and horse whisperer Monty Roberts, whose life motto is to “leave the world a better place for horses and for humans, too.”

Monty has had so many successes that they are almost seemed unremarkable. From his early Hollywood stunt double life in movies like National Velvet with Elizabeth Taylor, to his stunning book, The Man Who Listens To Horses, (which spent 58 weeks on the New York Times best-selling list), to his close relationship with the Queen of England’s and her race horses, he has led a remarkable life.

Monty has had setbacks, and he is no stranger to them. But one recent setback calls to mind how leaders must consistently rebound, without taking the time (like many of us) to retaliate, feel self-pity, or run away.

Monty’s recent leadership setback involves a scam that originated in a country he has helped to transform. That country is Brazil, and there you will find many cowboys who still use the old style method of “breaking” a horse with violence. One Brazilian discovered Monty’s violence-free methods several years ago, and after undergoing his own setbacks, wrote a book about his experiences. His name is Eduardo Moreira, a businessman and now successful author, who has started a virtual movement and training center around Monty’s methods.

Since then, Monty has worked diligently to demonstrate the need for a violence-free approach to training young horses through numerous appearances in Brazil. In fact, the Sao Palo Police Academy have even embraced his concepts, taken largely from his book Horse Sense for People.

Many in Brazil have chosen to follow Monty’s approach, and have turned away from the old ways. But culture is strong and the need for men, to “prove” themselves to be fearless and powerful still persists. Of course, we all know that horses, being prey animals, may look imposing, but are actually descendants of much smaller animals that were preyed upon.

Horses are flight animals, not fight animals. Logically, it follows that they should be “gentled” instead of brutalized during training procedures.

This has been Monty’s simple message for decades, one he has repeated throughout the world, like a good leader should. For this, Monty falls into the thought leader category of “transformational leader, ” a leader who works to transform those around him or her. But I digress.

So, here was Monty recently, emerging from a plane on yet another mission to Brazil whisked away to a demonstration of some sort. Once there, he was shocked to learn that the “demonstration” was actually one showing the traditional methods (brutal ways) of breaking a horse. Now in Brazil, the native language spoken is Portuguese, one that is challenging and unfamiliar in every sense to non-speakers. Monty’s one allocated translator, a young girl named Isabella, left his side during the proceedings to avoid watching the violent show of raw, machismo cowboy action.

There Monty stood as cameras rolled, pinned in by the crowd and unable to stop the bloody beating that the horse endured. Finally, the horse was led away, and Isabella returned, apologizing for leaving without explanation. Monty immediately went to check on the horse, finding him standing in a small, rock-strewn enclosed pen. Monty took on the young horse handler as his assistant, to aid in the demonstrations he was hired to do. Monty taught the young handler his Join-Up ® ways. This resulted in a changed life.

We judge our leaders by their actions, and to many in Brazil, this appeared to be an endorsements of the old, brutal ways. It’s an easy call to make, especially when an unknown videographer splices a smiling Monty looking on at the brutalities that the horse endured before being led away.

Leading change at any level, is one of the most difficult parts of being a leader, and Monty is leading from the world stage. Resistance is what leadership experts call what happens when leaders encounter the invariable push back, the human condition of wanting to go back to the way things were. But Brazil has made too much progress to return to the old ways, too many people are aware of the cruelties, and many have actively sought Monty out, many attending his trainings held especially for them at his California horse farm.

But why would some in Brazil like to return to the way things were?

Psychologically, many who use brutality may not realize the ego boost that they get from feeling more powerful than a seemingly uncontrollable animal like a large horse. Needing to feel powerful and in charge is a great reason to embrace the old ways and there are probably more reasons to explain why some would want to sabotage Monty’s progress. This is the life of a transformational leader.

Fortunately, science (and Monty Roberts) has revealed the truth; that horses are flight animals. They flee from danger as a primary instinct. That’s why Monty’s methods, which endorse a violence-free approach, engage the horse in building trust, much like you would when coaxing a bird or a deer to eat from your hand.

Monty has most recently received death threats, and the rumors and telling but bogus videos have created a tidal wave of setbacks for him in Brazil, and for the progress he has made helping people turn away from violence.

But the story is not over. The movie is only half through. We hope Monty wins and triumphs over the darkness like any good super-hero would. We want the movie to end on a positive note. It can, if we all focus on the gains that have been made in Brazil, and address the few who have wrecked havoc on that progress through their portrayal of Monty in their vindictive and inaccurate video.

You can help. If you feel that Monty’s approach has transformed you, or has influenced the way you think about horses or about violence, make a comment of support on Monty’s Facebook page–https://www.facebook.com/MontyRoberts. Also, Share this blog and encourage people to retweet, share, comment, pin, etc.