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Lessons from the Geese

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Some years, not too long ago, I was in an HR training in Poland. This training was an eye opener for me in many ways, there were nationals from over 50 countries all over the world, and beyond the training, we had opportunities to network and fraternize. I learnt about other cultures, saw different types of people, learnt about different weather conditions, enjoyed myself and reaffirmed my belief in the fact that east or west, home is the best. I can travel far and wide, but staying away from Nigeria I have discovered will not work for me. Maybe it’s my destiny. I remember coming out of my hotel room 2pm one day to see that the sun had set. Believe me, I didn’t know whether to ask for lunch or for dinner 🙂

In this training however, I learnt about the geese (Now in case you are wondering that I traveled all the way to Poland to learn about the geese – No!). When I listened back then to the story and the video that had been developed with it, I desired so much to own a copy of it, take it home and watch it again and again. Today, I have decided to let us all benefit from the interesting true life story, of the flying geese.
“In the Spring, when you see geese heading North for the Summer or South in the Fall, flying along in “V” formation, you might be interested in knowing what scientists have discovered about why they fly that way. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following.

By flying in “V ” formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.

When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.

These geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly or until he is dead, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation until they catch up with their group.”

Key Lessons

1.  Forming a community and moving in tandem with people who share a common sense of purpose and direction will lessen the pain of your forward thrust, make the ride more pleasurable, hasten the pace and lighten the burden. You’ll be able to go further too, by at least 71%.
2.  It’s common sense to stay in formation. The people who break away from their communities find it a lot more difficult to achieve their goals. That song that says “I can make it all aloooooone”, remember? The reason why the “o” was stressed so much could be because it isn’t easy. Once you leave formation, you experience a drag, the struggle to stay adrift is more. Whatever it is you want to achieve, a good goal is to get a community of people looking flying in the same direction. As I type this article for example I’m in a car on the way to Ibadan, I’m on Lagos-Ibadan expressway, I have a program I’m speaking in tomorrow, but I’m using the opportunity to visit one of my mentors and see him a day before. I’m staying in formation.

3. We can all be leaders in an organization. We can all take turns to be the point man. The greater the leadership potential of the team, the greater their thrust and success potential. It’s okay and perfectly natural to get tired. Who you surround yourself with will become clear when you get tired. It is in our moments of desperation that we know who our true friends are, or who our friends truly are.
4. Check yourself, is what you are saying encouraging others to continue or to stop. Are you honking encouragements or are you honking complaints. A good team deliberately looks for the best in team members. What do you say about your team members from behind?
5. Great teams appoint members to rally around their wounded and support them to get back up. They never give up until things improve or become completely hopeless.

The geese are birds, hence very small brains. Are you demonstrating greater wisdom that these geese? Or are you about to start? 🙂

Adeolu Akinyemi

Adeolu Akinyemi

18 thoughts on “Lessons from the Geese”

  1. Ed
    March 10, 2007 at 12:08 pm

    An interesting aspect of this story is when one gets sick or wounded and unable to continue the journey, it goes down with two of its team members (not one). Two good heads are always better than one. The story underscores the important of teaming in every life event if and only if you want to be successful. It could be a christian (religious) team, investment team, business team, sporting team etc. They may not neccessary be the same group of people but they must be inspiring, focused and goal oriented people.

    Deolu, I am glad and proud to associated with you and your team.
    Pls keep up the good work.

    Reply
  2. 'Fiyinfoluwa
    March 10, 2007 at 12:50 pm

    Quite a number of lessons to learn from nature, here, we add that from the geese. It’s amazing to discover this ‘ream spirit’ the geese exhibit. One thing I see in them is that they care for the other member of the party. If we all can imbibe the nature of not only watching out for ourselves but for our neighbour, life’ll be much better and easier for us all.

    Go to the geese o man and learn their ways and be thy brother’s keeper!

    Reply
  3. Bolaji
    March 10, 2007 at 4:50 pm

    Good attribute in here and the key thing is getting the correct people (that can see as you see and have the last attribute you emphasized -similar values) around one. Sometime, I feel you can only tread some dangerous path alone anyway.

    Above all, we need to make ourselves “teamly” first before we look for the faults in others.

    Reply
  4. Lolo
    March 11, 2007 at 3:06 pm

    TEAM – Together Each Achieve More. Loners are loosers!

    Reply
  5. Kamal
    March 12, 2007 at 7:56 am

    Timely and ageless wisdom! there is no better way to learn about how God has designed that we function but by looking at His creatures. I will take a cue from these birds and fall in line, it’s hard to swim against the currents.

    Reply
  6. Kamal
    March 13, 2007 at 12:52 pm

    I seem to enjoy the spiritual undertone backing each of the comments.

    @Fiyinfoluwa: I don’t seem to understand the ‘ream Spirit’ Geese exhibit.

    Reply
  7. Babatunji
    March 13, 2007 at 2:18 pm

    A good one! In addition, each team member contributes to keep the flight in motion. We need to make ourselves a contibutory member in any team we belong so that we dont end up reducing the greater flying range that is achieved as a team. Yorubas will say ‘ajoje o dun ti enikan o ba ni’ everyone must contribute.

    Reply
  8. Debo Atobatele
    March 13, 2007 at 4:13 pm

    Brilliant!

    Reply
  9. Funskin Michael Ajayi
    March 13, 2007 at 5:50 pm

    The lessons from the geese are wonderful.
    This add to the fact that for one to succeed, one must have the right association to keep in form. You will always depend on some people to make it. This does not mean you’re not independent but it focuses on the theory of interdependent which is the higher value than independent.

    To achieve synergy and be self-made, one must be interdependent and with this one can achieve a lot.

    Reply
  10. Dare Adeyinka
    March 15, 2007 at 4:45 pm

    ps 133:1-3
    Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
    It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
    As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

    Even the Great King David knew the Power of Unity!

    Remember 2 is better than 1 this just encourages me to join Groups that will improve my career and Family Life.

    Reply
  11. jide p
    March 15, 2007 at 5:51 pm

    Hmn…simply put ododo oro.Great stuff

    Reply
  12. Tosin
    March 16, 2007 at 2:49 pm

    The last paragraph lays emphasis on the fact that these birds have small brains and yet, they exhibit this great wisdom . . .
    I wonder why then it’s difficult, many atimes, for humans (with larger brains) to come together and work in the spirit of oneness as displayed here. . .
    One of the basic problems we have is self-centeredness. We elevate selfish interest above general/group/national interest. . .

    Reply
  13. Otome Oyo
    March 16, 2007 at 6:40 pm

    First I’d like to say congratulations to deolu, Its been wonderful to see all you’ve accomplished.

    I would also like to say that i share you’re love for our country and the seeming distaste for wanting to live anywhere else, having been in the UK doing my MBA for some month now, I realize that with each passing day i miss home, especially knowing the potential that remains unlocked.

    It is really important to form a network of like minded and like principled people, thats why geese don’t fly with pigeons. Our generation is set to take Nigeria by storm and we cannot afford to give in to the skepticism that divides us but stand together as men of honour change the face of the Nation from the ground up.

    Reply
  14. lyndonmaxewell
    March 17, 2007 at 5:53 am

    Well, it is an interesting story and I enjoyed reading it. I guess one point that it really emphasized once again is that ‘no man is an island’. In a community or group, what seems hard to accomplish is made easy.

    Reply
  15. byola
    March 20, 2007 at 12:19 pm

    today i will
    …. rise up eary cos no day is ever enuff for the day’s work
    … give my best time to communion with God
    …. compliment three people
    …. make myself valueable to somebody
    … leave someone better than him or her
    … tackle a problem bigger than me
    … not loose an hour in the morining and spen the whole day looking for it
    …. know that the place and time to be happy is here and now
    … judge this day not by the harvest but by the seed i plant

    I believe we are “lifted to lift”

    cheers
    @biola.com

    Reply
  16. Oluwatoyin
    April 3, 2007 at 1:16 pm

    honk, honk

    Reply
  17. Pingback: Deoluakinyemi » Daily Motivation and Development for People and Organizations - ASE » Blog Archive » March Summary

  18. OMOZELE
    June 23, 2009 at 10:39 am

    hmm, great lessons indeed from the geese. the lessons here makes a person understand peolple and how to come during crisis. the geese are always there for one another and they move with the flock, never alone so a person is really not afraid of what an enemy can do to him knowing fully well that people are there watching his back. this writeup is informative.

    Reply

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Many hold their audience spell bound with motivational speeches but few care to hold the audience by the hand and help them walk their way to financial freedom like he does. Many have failed at everything they have tried to do but everything he does turns to gold. Read more…

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