🦢 Soaring Together: Teamwork Lessons from Geese

   

It's Fall in Vancouver, WA. One of the many delights of the season is hearing the beautiful call of the Canadian geese which alerts you to look up in the Autumnal sky. The first image of the skein (or flock) of geese reminds me of a floating black ribbon or the tail of a kite. 

In October and November in the Pacific Northwest the sky is alive with ribbons of geese gracefully swooping and looping sometimes bearing left and sometimes right. These maneuvers seem to give the stray birds time to catch up to the throng. 

When you watch the flock closely you realize that the geese are all leaders and followers each taking a turn. Alternately leading and following creates a perfect rhythm which enables them to get to their faraway winter destination. 

I believe there are several lessons in teamwork that we can learn from the goose. Geese are intriguing creatures and while considered pests in certain situations, they also have an incredibly strong sense of family and group loyalty. Probably one of the most phenomenal geese facts is that their desire to return to their birth place every year is so strong that they will often fly up to 3,000 miles to get there. 

Lesson #1: Empowering Others to Lead
When the lead goose in the front gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and allows another goose to take the leadership position. Apparently, even geese know that “delegation” works better than flying yourself into a feathery burnout.

The lesson here is to empower others to also lead. 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 arrangement of gifts, talents, or resources.

Lesson #2: Staying Committed to Core Values and Purpose

The geese migration routes never vary. They use the same route year after year. Even when the flock members change, the young learn the route from their parents. In the spring they will go back to the spot where they were born. No GPS, no route recalculating, and apparently no arguments about who missed the last turn.
  
The lesson to learn here is to stay true to our core values and purpose. 
  
Strategies, tactics may change in order remain agile, but great struggles always stick to their core purpose and values, and preserve them with vigor

Lesson #3: Offering Support in Challenging Times

When a goose gets sick or wounded, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. That is a stronger support plan than “Let me know if you need anything” followed by radio silence

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.  

The lesson here is to stand by each other in difficult times. It’s easy to always be part of winning teams, but when things get difficult and people are facing challenges, that’s when your teammates need you the most. 

Lesson #4 Encouraging and Recognizing Other’s Contribution

The geese honk to recognize each other and encourage those up front to keep up their speed. The lesson here is to make sure we praise people and give them the recognition they deserve. Think of it as a performance review—only shorter, louder, and with fewer forms
  
Lack of recognition is one of the main reasons employees are unsatisfied at work and quit. 
  
We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. 

In groups where there is encouragement, the production is 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. 

Lesson #5 Sharing a Common Goal

As each goose flaps its wings it creates “uplift”, an aerodynamics orientation that reduces air friction, for the birds that follow. By flying in a V-formation, the whole flock achieves a 70% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. In other words, teamwork saves energy—and possibly cuts down on the need for another motivational webinar 

The lesson we can learn here is that people who share a common direction and goal can get where they are going quicker and with less effort because they benefit from the momentum of the group moving around them. 
  
Make sure your team is aligned towards a common goal. 

Lesson #6 Having Humility to Seek Help

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the friction of flying alone. 
  
It then quickly adjusts its mistake and moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. 

The lesson we can learn here is to be humble to admit the challenges we face and to seek help as soon as we get stuck. 
  
This humility will enable you, your team, to move faster and achieve more. 

 

A Story About Geese 

A flock of wild geese had settled to rest on a pond. 
  
One of the flock had been captured by a gardener, who had clipped its wings before releasing it. 

When the geese started to resume their flight, this one tried frantically, but vainly, to lift itself into the air. The others, observing his struggles, flew about in obvious efforts to encourage him; but it was no use. 

Thereupon, the entire flock settled back on the pond and waited, even though the urge to go on was strong within them. For several days they waited until the damaged feathers had grown sufficiently to permit the goose to fly. 

Meanwhile, the unethical gardener, having been converted by the ethical geese, gladly watched them as they finally rose together and all resumed their long flight.                                                                            --Albert Schweitzer 

[Epilogue: And so, as the geese soared off into the sunset, the gardener waved goodbye, vowing never to underestimate the power of teamwork—or the tenacity of geese. Legend has it that from that day forward, whenever the gardener tried to plant anything, there was always a mysterious feather nearby, just to remind him to always stick with the flock—or else prepare to be thoroughly out-honked. 😉]

Remember, Together-Everybody-Achieves-More

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

          Take the Next Step...

Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, facilities services and maintenance, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

🥇Ten Surefire Ways to Build a Team of Winners

 

 

 

 

 

Want to become an excellent leader—the kind who inspires people, clears roadblocks, and helps a team do its best work? It is one of the hardest and most important jobs in the workplace. That is also why genuinely effective leaders are about as common as a meeting that ends early and needs no follow-up email.

If that sounds intimidating, good. Leadership should make you think. If it sounds motivating, even better. Here are ten practical ways to move from “person with the title” to “leader people willingly follow.”

1. Say It—and Mean It: “My Job Is to Help You Succeed”

This does not mean giving everyone Friday off while you finish their work. Tempting, perhaps, but not sustainable. Your job as a leader is to remove unnecessary obstacles, provide useful resources, and make it easier for people to do excellent work.

For example, suppose a customer-service representative spends an hour every day copying information between two systems. A strong leader does not simply advise, “Try to copy faster.” The leader works with IT to automate the step, simplify the process, or eliminate it altogether. That hour can then be spent helping customers rather than playing spreadsheet ping-pong.

Ask regularly: “What is slowing you down?” Then listen carefully. Sometimes the answer is a missing tool. Sometimes it is an unclear decision. And sometimes it is a weekly meeting that could have been a three-line email.

2. Build Camaraderie Through Shared Success

After-work socializing can help people connect, but forced fun has limits. Nothing says “team bonding” quite like twelve adults wearing name tags while pretending to enjoy an icebreaker. The strongest camaraderie usually grows when people tackle a meaningful challenge together.

Imagine a team facing a major product launch with a tight deadline. Marketing clarifies the message, operations handles the logistics, sales prepares customers, and support anticipates problems. When the launch succeeds, the team has more than a completed project; it has a shared story: “That was difficult, and we pulled it off together.”

Give your team a worthwhile goal, define how each person contributes, and celebrate the collective win. Shared struggle—when it is purposeful and well led—can turn a group of coworkers into a genuine team.

3. Recognize the Big Wins—and the Small Ones

People appreciate praise, and they notice when good work disappears into a black hole of silence. A grand annual award is wonderful, but recognition should not be reserved for the person who lands the largest account or saves the building from a meteor.

Suppose an employee submits an accurate report on time for three straight months, helps a new teammate learn the system, or calmly resolves a difficult customer issue. A handwritten note, a public thank-you, a small gift card, or even a playful certificate can reinforce the behavior you want repeated. “Most Likely to Find the Missing Attachment” may not belong on a résumé, but it can still make someone’s day.

Recognition works best when it is timely and specific. Instead of saying, “Great job,” try: “You anticipated the customer’s concern, involved the right people, and kept everyone informed. That protected the relationship.” Specific praise teaches as well as encourages.

4. Challenge People to Grow

Strong employees usually want to improve. Your responsibility is to challenge them with honesty, support, and clear expectations. Be kind, but do not confuse kindness with avoiding difficult conversations. “Everything is fine” is not a development plan.

For example, a talented supervisor may know the operation inside and out but dominate every meeting. Rather than offering vague advice to “be more collaborative,” explain the impact: “Your expertise matters, but when you answer every question first, others stop contributing. In the next meeting, ask three questions before offering your solution.” That is specific, observable, and coachable.

Stretch assignments also help. Ask a promising employee to lead a project, present to senior leaders, mentor a new hire, or solve a recurring problem. Then provide feedback—not the kind delivered six months later during an annual review, when both of you are trying to remember what happened in October.

5. Address the “Just Enoughers”

Every workplace has encountered the “Just Enougher”: the employee who does exactly enough to avoid formal consequences and not one ounce more. Their unofficial motto is, “Technically, I did the thing.”

Before assuming someone is lazy, diagnose the situation. Are expectations clear? Has the employee been trained? Is the workload realistic? Does the person understand the impact of missed commitments? For example, if a technician repeatedly completes service notes late, explain how the delay affects billing, customer communication, and the next technician’s preparation. Set a measurable standard, provide support, and establish a follow-up date.

If performance still does not improve after fair coaching and clear accountability, act promptly and consistently. High performers quickly notice when low performance is tolerated. Nothing drains a strong team faster than watching one person carry a coffee mug while everyone else carries the workload.

6. Hire Slowly and Carefully

A great team is built one thoughtful hiring decision at a time. Skills matter, but so do judgment, curiosity, reliability, and the ability to work well with others. A résumé can tell you what a candidate has done; it cannot always tell you whether they will return the shared stapler.

Use realistic questions and job-related scenarios. Instead of asking, “Are you a team player?”—to which every candidate since the invention of interviews has answered yes—ask: “Tell me about a time you disagreed with a teammate. What did you do, and what happened?” Better yet, give the candidate a sample problem and ask them to think it through.

Include future teammates in the process, check references, and resist hiring merely because the position is open and everyone is tired. A rushed hire can create months of disruption. Patience at the front end is usually cheaper than repair work later.

7. Give People a Purpose Worth Getting Up For

Goals matter, but meaning creates energy. “Increase quarterly output by 7 percent” may be necessary, yet it rarely causes anyone to leap out of bed and salute the dashboard.

Connect the work to people who benefit from it. A logistics team is not merely improving delivery time; it is helping customers keep promises to their own customers. A hospital maintenance team is not simply completing work orders; it is creating a safe environment for patients and caregivers. A payroll specialist is not “processing transactions”; that person is helping families pay mortgages, buy groceries, and avoid awkward conversations with their banks.

Choose an ambitious goal and keep linking daily tasks to its larger purpose. People work harder when they understand that their effort matters beyond the next status report.

8. Talk Up Your People

Tell others what your team does well. Share their accomplishments with peers, senior leaders, customers, and—yes—the security guard. Recognition becomes especially powerful when employees hear that their leader praised them when they were not in the room.

For example, instead of telling an executive, “The rollout went well,” say, “Maya identified the scheduling risk early, Carlos redesigned the handoff, and Priya kept the customer informed. Their teamwork kept us on track.” That gives credit where it belongs and helps decision-makers see the talent on your team.

Be generous with credit and stingy with blame. When things go well, point to the team. When they do not, take responsibility, learn, and improve. Leaders who grab all the applause eventually find themselves performing a solo act.

9. Set High Expectations—and Provide High Support

People often rise toward the expectations placed before them, especially when those expectations are clear and accompanied by trust, tools, and coaching. Simply announcing, “I expect excellence,” and walking away is not leadership; it is motivational wallpaper.

Suppose a new manager is preparing to lead a difficult client review. Set a strong standard: a clear agenda, accurate data, anticipated questions, and confident recommendations. Then help the manager rehearse, offer feedback, and make sure the necessary information is available. High expectations without support create anxiety. High expectations with support create growth.

Let people know you believe in their ability, and hold them accountable to the standard you have established together. Respect is not demonstrated by making work easy; it is demonstrated by believing people are capable of meaningful achievement.

10. Be Worthy of Their Best Effort

If you want a team of champions, keep improving the person who leads them. Model the habits you expect: preparation, follow-through, humility, curiosity, and accountability. If punctuality matters, arrive on time. If candor matters, invite feedback. If learning matters, admit when you do not know something. Try not to faint when an employee offers a useful suggestion.

Ask yourself: “Would I want to work for me?” Then resist the urge to answer too quickly. Seek feedback from your team, peers, and manager. Choose one leadership behavior to improve and practice it consistently. You might listen without interrupting, delegate outcomes instead of tasks, explain the reasoning behind decisions, or recognize good work more often.

You will never reach a point where you have mastered leadership completely. That is not bad news; it is the work. Every day offers another opportunity to remove an obstacle, coach a skill, clarify a goal, or show someone that their contribution matters.

Keep at it, and your people may eventually brag about you—to their peers, your peers, your boss, and perhaps even the security guard. When word makes its way back to you, you will be proud—not because you became the star, but because you helped a team of talented people shine.

Simple Team-Building Practice Plan

Put these ideas into practice over the next four weeks—one focused step at a time:

1.        Week 1—Listen and remove a roadblock: Ask each team member, “What is slowing you down?” Choose one obstacle you can address and follow through.

2.      Week 2—Recognize and connect: Give specific praise to at least two people and remind the team how their work supports a shared goal or purpose.

3.      Week 3—Coach and challenge: Hold one short development conversation. Agree on one clear growth action, the support you will provide, and a follow-up date.

4.      Week 4—Strengthen teamwork: Assign a meaningful team challenge, clarify each person’s contribution, and celebrate progress or the collective win.

Now go build a team that wins together, grows together, and maybe even ends a meeting early once in a while. Keep leading, keep learning, and keep helping your people become the next best version of themselves!

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

            Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.