Wild geese migrate to the south every winter. I remember watching them flying in a "V" formation from the kitchen window when I lived in Vancouver as a teenager, and thought how beautiful they looked. As it turns out, they fly in that formation to set a destination. When a goose leaves the formation he feels the resistance of the air and experiences difficulty in flying alone. In staying with the V, he is able to maximize the power of group dynamics and has an easier time making the long flight south.
When the lead goose gets tired he goes to the back of the V and another goose takes the lead. The geese in the back of the formation quack to encourage the leaders in front to keep their pace. This way they are able to keep their speed. When a goose gets sick or is injured or gets tired and must leave the formation, the other geese also leave to help him out. They remain with him until he dies or is able to fly again. They then return to the group or form a new V formation.
There are many lessons that we already know but seem to forget so readily.
Lesson 1: Working towards the same direction and working as a team will give us a greater chance to reach our destination quicker and easier. I recall the sad fate of one or two geese that would leave the formation, distracted by the light coming from our kitchen window, only to crash painfully into the glass. When we lose track of our goal, we get into trouble.
Lesson 2: Giving support to our leader and keeping united towards a pre-agreed destination or vision gives us a greater chance of achieving our goals.
Lesson 3: Having mutual respect and sharing leadership as well group tasks are vital for the group dynamic to work. For a leader to be effective, there must be followers, and when a leader must emerge from the group, he must view this as a privilege that comes with duty. A friend of mine, Josephine Knox, once shared how she and her husband keep a very strong couple dynamic. "When I am in a stronger position or more capable to perform a task," she said, "I may need to do 90 percent and my husband only 10 percent of the task. I do not get upset because at other times, it may be the other way around, and I do not have anything to contribute. The important thing is that our combined effort is 100 percent." Sharing problems and tasks, combining abilities, talents and resources, is smart business.
Lesson 4: Giving encouragement to the leader motivates better and more courageous leadership. We must remember that it is difficult to assume the leadership position and giving our support allows the group to have a better chance of success benefiting ourselves in the process.
It is indeed a great puzzle why we cannot seem to apply the wisdom of the Wild Geese V Formation in our everyday political or corporate lives. Perhaps it is because we just cannot trust one another’s motives even when we agree on the direction we are going. Imagine what would happen to a group of geese that know instinctively to go south for survival, but refuse to trust any other geese to lead them there. Group together or perish?
As we face the new year, let us try to remember that working together as leader or follower calls for common goals and taking the risk to trust each other. The spirit of teamwork has become a matter of necessity, and something smart to do.
Happy New Year!