Lessons from nature

Lessons from Geese

There are times when as individuals or teams of individuals could take a real lesson from nature, too often we squabble about this and that, if only we just got on with it like the geese we would all be better off.

Geese flying in V-formation have always been a welcome sign of spring, as well as, a sign that heralds the coming of winter. Not only is this a marvelous sight, but there are some remarkable lessons that we can learn from the flight of the geese…because all they do has significance…

1.   As each goose flaps its wings, it creates uplift for others behind it. There is 71% more flying range in V-formation than in flying alone.  Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of purpose can get there more quickly.

2.  Whenever a goose flies out of formation, it feels drag and tries to get back into position. Lesson: It’s harder to do something alone than together.

3.  When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies at the head.  Lesson: Shared leadership and interdependence give us each a chance to lead, as well as an opportunity to rest.

4.  The geese flying in the rear of the formation honk to encourage those upfront to keep up their speed.  Lesson: Encouragement is motivating. We need to make sure our “honking” is encouraging and not discouraging. 

5.  When a goose gets sick or wounded and falls, two geese fall out of formation and stay with it until it revives or dies. Then they catch up or join another flock. Lesson: We may all need help from time to time. We should stand by our colleagues in difficult times.

 At allen partnership we offer none physical team building days and embed the lessons from geese into activities contact us to find out more.

Managers v Leaders

We often promote our staff to management positions but how often do we consider their leadership abilities within the job specification? Though often seen as part and parcel of the same role, leadership and management require very different aptitudes.

You might say that leaders lead people while managers manage things. Leaders have a vision for the future and are constantly challenging the system to improve. Managers on the other hand make the system work. Stephen Covey says that “management is problem-orientated and leadership is opportunity-orientated.”

Many roles require both an ability to lead and an ability to manage. Others may require mostly leadership or mostly management skills. Either way, one without the other is doomed to failure.

A leader without management skills, or a manager to support them, is unable to bring about the changes they envision. They deal with the big picture and not the details.

Whereas a manager without leadership skills, or a leader to lead them, can at best keep it all ticking over.

When are you required to lead and when are you required to manage? Imagine that there is a major change around the corner. At such a time your team needs a leader to inspire them with the vision of what this change will do for them and for the company.

This inspiration will need to be supported by management of how the change will come about. As a manager you need to make sure that everyone knows what is expected of them, how it will be measured and what results they might expect. This supports the inspiration offered by removing many of the insecurities about change that we all have.

Or suppose the company is facing troubles. The team needs leadership to re-establish the vision and inspire them. The leadership position must be to protect the team as much as is possible, allowing them to get on with sorting out the problems.

Management is needed to identify the exact problem, prepare a plan to deal with it and assign tasks. Clearly leadership without management will not solve the problem. But management without leadership may lead to low morale among the team members.

Without management, even the most inspirational leadership cannot create sustainable change. On the other hand, without leadership, the best that management can do is maintain the status quo.

We offer an array of leadership tool, techniques and training helping your leaders lead and providing management with leadership skills; in order that they can take, people to where they ought to go but do not necessarily want to go.

Caged Leaders?

  Caged Leaders?

 As we begin 2011, this year more than most brings new challenges, new beginnings and new adventures, for business or do they?





As we have found out already this year it’s evident that today leaders or potential leaders are still not given adequate training or development opportunities. The attitude of “I’ve turned out alright without this so called training and anyway the business can’t afford you to be away”. Sadly even in this first month of this new year I have heard this comment and no force on earth is going to change the persons mind, training is a waste of time.


The average cost of a competent trainer / leadership coach is less than £1200 who will deliver improved performance solutions that match individual and organisational needs. Measure this against performance, behavioural and tactical errors made by an individual leader over a period of one year can be around five times as much.

How to recognise a caged leader, they demonstrate to a greater or lesser degree the following characteristics:

• passive/aggressive behaviours
• are frustrated
• they feel their ideas are not listened to
• communication can be sarcastic

This year look at your leaders are they performing to their best and is there still latent potential within. Do you know who has the potential to go further in other words these are your eagles and should be nurtured, coached and mentored, these are your future.

Our leadership coaching methodology has proven to have measurable benefits to both the individual and organisation.
http://www.allenpartnership.co.uk/services/coaching/leadership_coaching.htm