Wednesday 12 October 2011

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.

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