Lessons in Team Work from Geese

I had a discussion with my friends over the weekend about how we can get ahead and make the most of our lives. The one thing which we all noticed is quite often people do not have the support of their team (friends, co-workers, family members). Without the support of a team, reaching your goals, dreams will be definately more challenging. In my experience working at Innovative Fitness, I can relate to my rookie season. I thought I was a great training coach when I started; however I was wrong. My teammates took the time to see that there was a player who needed help in improving his personal training skills, so instead of letting me drown, they helped me become better; thus I can enhance the quality of the team. Furthermore, this afternoon I went on a bike ride with a customer I train and the talk about how geese stay together came into our discussion. Well, I had to take a further look and google "geese and team' and this is what I came up with.

Below is how Geese work as a team and the lessons to take away:

Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of each other.

Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. Lesson: If we have as much sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

Fact 3: When the lead bird tires, it rotates back into the formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other’s skills, capabilities, and unique arrangements of gifts, talents, or resources.

Fact 4: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. Lesson: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one’s heart or core values and to encourage the heart and core values of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

Fact 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock. Lesson: If we have as much sense of geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we’re strong.

Thoughts?