Amanda Madorno’s Game-Changing Approach to Unleashing Full Potential in Leaders and Teams

With a lineage of female business owners in her family, Amanda Madorno, CEO of Roam Consulting, inherited an entrepreneurial spirit that inspired her to carve her own path and become her own boss. As her career progressed, Amanda amassed a wealth of experience in various organizations. During her tenure as the executive director of a hospital’s philanthropic foundation, Amanda discovered her true calling and launched her own consulting practice. In parallel, she served as interim CEO of various organizations. Amanda fondly describes these experiences as a real-time Leadership Ph.D. degree. 

Through her experiences, Amanda gained knowledge that would shape her approach to leadership. She quickly learned that many leaders’ failures stem from their character rather than their technical skills. Driven by this realization, she became certified in emotional intelligence to give her clients the tools to better understand themselves and connect with others. As she continued to lead in various environments, Amanda discovered a talent for bringing teams together and finding solutions in the face of uncertainty and ambiguity, “I learned how to lead in turbulent situations, navigate rocky waters, and quickly bring teams together.” 

Amanda works with leaders and teams that are driven to effect personal and organizational change. Her strong belief that emotional intelligence is the key to effective leadership is central to her consulting and coaching approach. It is this conviction that sets her apart and enables her to help her clients unleash their full potential and enhance their overall leadership capacity. 

She specializes in supporting both senior-level executives and emerging leaders who are taking their first step into leadership roles. Her services include coaching, leadership development programs, and strategic advice on crucial leadership responsibilities such as succession planning, executive transitions, strategic planning, and board engagement.  

Amanda has a unique perspective on the intersection of emotional intelligence and effective leadership. The connection between an individual’s purpose or focus, emotional energy, and physical action is what she calls the head-heart-gut connection. In Amanda’s view, the ability to make this connection flows directly from building emotional intelligence. 

As a leader, Amanda firmly believes that when these three elements – the head, heart, and gut – come together, individuals can inspire trust and confidence, be perceived as authentic, and better motivate and influence others. For Amanda, this represents the highest level of emotional intelligence mastery. Developing and nurturing the head-heart-gut connection is a critical aspect of building leadership’s presence and achieving success. 

Amanda’s signature program, Leadership with Horses, is a marvelously crafted nature-based experiential leadership development program that immerses participants in the world of these magnificent creatures. Through working with horses, individuals and groups have the opportunity to explore and enhance their leadership skills in a unique and dynamic way. Horses, known for their exceptional emotional intelligence and innate ability to connect with their head, heart, and gut, serve as the perfect guide for this transformative journey of self-discovery and growth.  

Embarking on an unforgettable adventure, the program commences with an introduction known as meet-the-herd. This provides clients with the opportunity to cultivate their observational and interpretative skills, exploring the physical characteristics and emotional landscape of the herd. They are asked to accomplish this by practicing the connection between their head, heart, and gut. 

From here, clients take the reins and move on to a leading experience, where they discover the art of leading a horse through the power of purpose and intention. By closely observing the horse’s response to their actions, clients gain invaluable insights into the true impact of their leadership, learning to lead with a sense of presence, confidence, and authenticity. 

The program’s journey then proceeds to more intricate and challenging activities, where horses are allowed to roam free, unencumbered, and untethered. As clients engage with these majestic animals, they are unable to touch or speak to the horses, relying instead on their own head-heart-gut connection to communicate with their equine companions. 

This powerful experience serves to activate the connection between the three centers of intelligence and demands that clients must truly walk their talk, demonstrating their clear sense of purpose and their unwavering commitment to achieving a shared goal with their four-legged partner. 

As the horses provide unfiltered and authentic feedback, clients gain a deeper understanding of themselves, their leadership style, and the importance of building relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. The horses, with their innate ability to choose who they work with, provide a candid and constructive assessment of each client’s approach, enabling them to grow and develop as leaders, both in the arena and beyond. 

Drawing inspiration from her work with horses, Amanda notes that in order to gain a horse’s trust and cooperation, one must answer three fundamental questions: Can I trust you? Are you genuine? And do we have a connection that is meaningful and relevant? 

It’s no different with people, Amanda believes. Leaders who possess these vital qualities not only gain the trust and respect of their teams but also inspire and motivate them to achieve greatness. By demonstrating trustworthiness and authenticity, leaders can foster an environment of openness, transparency, and accountability while building meaningful connections that inspire individuals to work together toward a shared vision. With these essential qualities at the helm, leaders can empower their teams to reach their full potential, achieving success that they never thought possible.