The Canadian Goose (yeah we know, not pictured above)...a well-known resident here in New York State. We see them everywhere: our parks, recreational fields, college campuses, and flying above us in formation as we take cover below from...let's just call it debris.
We can hear them from a mile away. Those honks signifying that it’s about to be cloudy with a chance of meatballs. But those honks are not intended to warn us to take cover below; quite frankly, the geese don’t give a crap, so why do they do it? And do all geese honk in flight?
We can hear them from a mile away. Those honks signifying that it’s about to be cloudy with a chance of meatballs. But those honks are not intended to warn us to take cover below; quite frankly, the geese don’t give a crap, so why do they do it? And do all geese honk in flight?
All geese are capable of honking while flying but one goose stays silent - the one leading.
We know that geese fly in a ‘V’ formation with one at the very front that sets the pace and drives the team forward. It’s the rest of the geese following that give off those infamous honks. It turns out that those honks are actually how the geese cheer on the leader; you see, with the support and encouragement of the rest of the team, the lead goose will fly longer and farther.
But the geese don’t just support the leader. They work as a team to better each other. If one goose becomes injured, tired, or for any reason just cannot continue the journey; it will separate from the group. Instinctively, another will follow so that no one goose is left alone.
It’s nature that shows us the power of support. If someone is working hard and succeeding, we must support them. If someone is struggling, we must support them. As part of a team, we encourage each other to be better, push harder, and fly longer.
As a leader, do you see someone falling off their mark? Have you missed an opportunity to support a team member or work colleague when they start to slide off target?
Being the lead is a tough job. Simultaneously supporting your team is even tougher. But it’s at these moments that great teams separate themselves from the competition.
Great teams pull together.
They drive forward.
They succeed.
Knowing when to lead and when to follow is a skill that will help your team soar. Start honking. See what happens. Trust me, you will be surprised.
Written by:
Christopher Short
Executive Director of NPRCoC
Edited by:
Kristen Condosta
Marketing Intern at NPRCoC
We know that geese fly in a ‘V’ formation with one at the very front that sets the pace and drives the team forward. It’s the rest of the geese following that give off those infamous honks. It turns out that those honks are actually how the geese cheer on the leader; you see, with the support and encouragement of the rest of the team, the lead goose will fly longer and farther.
But the geese don’t just support the leader. They work as a team to better each other. If one goose becomes injured, tired, or for any reason just cannot continue the journey; it will separate from the group. Instinctively, another will follow so that no one goose is left alone.
It’s nature that shows us the power of support. If someone is working hard and succeeding, we must support them. If someone is struggling, we must support them. As part of a team, we encourage each other to be better, push harder, and fly longer.
As a leader, do you see someone falling off their mark? Have you missed an opportunity to support a team member or work colleague when they start to slide off target?
Being the lead is a tough job. Simultaneously supporting your team is even tougher. But it’s at these moments that great teams separate themselves from the competition.
Great teams pull together.
They drive forward.
They succeed.
Knowing when to lead and when to follow is a skill that will help your team soar. Start honking. See what happens. Trust me, you will be surprised.
Written by:
Christopher Short
Executive Director of NPRCoC
Edited by:
Kristen Condosta
Marketing Intern at NPRCoC
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