Simon Treselyan
Director
Contact: 0421 407 999
Website: www.starfireaustralia.com
Email: [email protected]
GEESE LESSONS IN TEAMWORK
When you consider adopting principles for your Business, or your life, it is important to be sure of the integrity
and soundness behind the behavior, skills or strategies before implementation. Anything that has been
consistently demonstrated in nature for millennia and beyond is the product of Evolution, sometimes called
the ‘Survival of the Fittest’ or ‘Natural Selection’. It is not by mere chance that nature has adopted things
that work and discarded those that don’t. Darwin said:
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, or the most intelligent, but rather the one that is
most adaptable to change!”
When considering building a Team in order to accomplish a mission, one should consider Geese and the
behavior that they have naturally adopted, since observation by Mankind began.
FACT 1
One assumes that the lead goose is the ‘Leader’ and the one actively honking encouragement. This is not
accurate. The fact is that the formation has a mutable leadership with each goose carrying the responsibility
of leadership at some point.
LESSON
In order for the formation to stay consistent to the direction, everyone in the Team needs to know, which way
‘South’ is, or more generally, where the team or organisation are going. In this way everyone is enrolled in
the jointly shared interest of achieving the objective.
FACT 2
As each goose flaps its wings it creates an ‘uplift’ energy for the birds that follow, similar to the slipstream
experienced in race cars. By flying in a ‘V’ formation the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if
each bird flew alone. This allows the geese further down the formation to expend less energy than that of
their counterparts at the front.
LESSON
A team that shares a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and
easier because they are traveling on the thrust and effort of one another. It is in the interests of the full team
to fully engage in the process.
Simon Treselyan
Director
Contact: 0421 407 999
Website: www.starfireaustralia.com
Email: [email protected]
FACT 3
Should a goose fall 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 sense we will stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept
their support and give our support to others in the Team. By staying true to our course we actively bring the
achievement of the objective closer to its fulfillment.
FACT 4
When the ‘lead’ goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position,
increasing its effort to maintain the ‘lift’. The retiring goose can relax more, and conserve its strength.
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. In any business or team
it is unusual for the burden of effort to be consistently placed on one member, or department, all the year
round. Changes in focus, strategies, or even times in the economic cycle, can shift the burden of effort
temporarily.
FACT 5
The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
LESSON
It is essential 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
encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.
Simon Treselyan
Director
Contact: 0421 407 999
Website: www.starfireaustralia.com
Email: [email protected]
FACT 6
When a goose gets sick, or injured, 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 their own formation to catch
up with their onward travelling flock.
LESSON
Even though the 71% extra performance achievement would be lost for a time in the absence of the 3 geese,
this would return once they come back into formation. If the goose was lost for good the performance would
diminish permanently. Such action affirms to all of the geese that their welfare and security is the
responsibility of all. If we require the support of others when things are not always in our favour, we will stand
by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.
FACT 7
Of course the geese that have for a time been absent need to know where to find their formation as it
continues towards its objective. Experience and instinct keeps them on track and they will soon be reconciled
with their fellows.
LESSON
In order to achieve any objective, the whole team needs to have knowledge as to where and what the
objective is and how each individual can add to the overall success of the team. This comes with
encouragement; sharing the work load and supporting others to add their energy to the team. Once the
achievement is successful, it is important to share and teach the success so that others that come into the
team at a later time can learn from the experience of those that have gone before and replicate the strategies
that work for the successes of the future.
In most situations your fellow team members could be the most important and useful resource that you will
ever have available to you.
Simon Treselyan
Director
Contact: 0421 407 999
Website: www.starfireaustralia.com
Email: [email protected]
Fly High…Fly Far…and don’t forget to HONK!
Questions for Team Members:
Are you aware of where your Team is headed? If so, where is it or what is your objective?
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What three skills, or abilities do you have that you will you share for the benefit of the Team?
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What specific support do you require from the Team?
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How would you demonstrate your encouragement to your Team members?
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What three things could you apply in your life that you have learned from the Geese lessons in Teamwork?
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