True leaders put those they lead ahead of themselves I found your blog very apt. In a sense, they do a good job of flattening their organization so that everyone can contribute (everyone has to contribute) and everyone moves together. Congratulations on the wonderful narration, once again. As they really are ready by the time you leave, so you know you did your best and was successful. Fascinating. Encourage your employees to develop their skills It requires a great deal more effort and energy to fly alone than it does to fly together. They would really appreciate it once you leave and they take your position. Exploring the dynamics of leadership, Dr. Sanjiv Chopra cites the shifting roles of birds flying in V-formation, taking turns directing the flock before dropping back to less strenuous positions. What can migrating birds teach us about leadership? When they fly in the v-formation, for instance, the lead bird works the hardest. The best and most successful leaders understand that one of their primary responsibilities is to help their employees succeed in their efforts. Required fields are marked *. It's another reason why leaders need to continually share information with the rest of their team so that they understand not only the direction the organization needs to take, but why it matters in context of their shared purpose. Communicate your vision so that everyone understands where they need to … The concept of leaders is explained beautifully!! Rather, the lead bird’s primary role is to help reduce air drag so that the flock can fly for greater distances without expending more energy. Send us your question. 2. Hopefully they will steer clear of the airplanes! This way, whether a few birds get lost or wounded before they reach their destination, the rest of the flock won’t be adversely impacted because most of them know where they need to go. Many of the birds in the flock take turns flying lead so that no one bird collapses from exhaustion. When a bird … And yet, if we look at the reason why the Canada geese fly in this particular fashion, we can truly understand the real goal and value of leadership. The theory has now been proved in a study published by Nature magazine. Great post Tanveer! Remember, the reason why Canada geese fly in V-formation is to help reduce air drag, in essence working together to help make the process of migrating less strenuous. Birds flying in flocks can migrate longer distances than birds flying alone. Cover photo by Marilyn Francetich Photography, the lessons on teamwork and collaboration that we can learn from this seasonal migration, A Springtime Leadership Lesson From The Birds. Worth noting, as well: It seems that one side of the V usually is longer than the other side. Here are three things we can learn from flocks of birds. As this week marks the official start of Spring for most northern countries, I wanted to take the opportunity to revisit an idea I wrote about sometime ago about a seasonal event in these parts and the lessons we can glean from it on leadership and organizational success. And the best way to do that is to be attentive to their needs by asking where they need more help and support and doing what they can to provide it. K.Narayanan, Your email address will not be published. (from Amman, Jordan). 1. Thanks Becca. They certainly embodify the advantages of communicating a shared goal and creating conditions for open collaboration where people focus less on titles and responsibilities and more on what they can do to help the team collectively succeed in achieving their objectives. It has long been believed that birds fly in a V formation, swapping over the leadership when the leader gets tired due to resistance, so as to gain lift from the aerodynamic motion of the wings of the bird in front. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird … However, as employees begin to look for ‘greener pastures’ and competition begins to increase for the limited talent pool that will become available in the years to come, it’s important that you provide all of your employees with opportunities to stretch themselves, developing not only their current skill base, but learning new ones as well. Your email address will not be published. One of the best insights I've gained from the Canadian geese is their ability to travel together, while switching roles throughout the journey. 3. In his new book, “Leadership by Example,’’ the Weston resident observes humans, like migrating birds, can rise beyond their expectations to the demands of leadership. ; ) Have a great day! A Springtime Leadership Lesson From The Birds 1. In most organizations, there’s still a tendency to lean on organizational goals/direction as being something that’s shared on a ‘need to know’ basis. Lesson to learn for managers, this is really an ultimate. I agree with the above comments, You have really come out with a great concept of leadship, and plus who doesn't like watching birds in their various types of formation. If a team don't know where we are going and what we should achieve then how they can be successful Only those companies or organizations meet their targets who trust on their team or employees. Thanks Bassam; glad you enjoyed it. Thanks Sammy; glad you enjoyed the insights gleaned from this seasonal migratory event. Encourage your employees to develop their skills There’s a lot more to each short description. Even before they take flight, there’s clearly some communication going on within the flock in terms of deciding when to leave and where they’ll land in between flights. Does Your Leadership Inspire Collaboration Or Conflict Inside Your Organization? Wonderful post. Of course, the geese don’t just communicate while they’re in flight to make sure all the birds in the flock stay on course. Great article, interesting parallels. Learn how your comment data is processed. Birds share leadership of the v-formation. “Large number of flamingos at Lake Nakuru” by Syllabub – Own work. Usually leaders don't like to share their goals with their employees as your share this point that "Communicate your vision so that everyone understands where they need to go". Absolutely, Tim. You really came up with a clear concept of a good leader. The Canada geese are amazing animals. Can you refer me to some video of the birds changing positions, perhaps in discovery channel or so? You may find it useful – . Zoologist Dora Biro has speculated that the chance of survival goes up when birds take on leadership positions rather than always submitting to a leader. I really like the idea of sharing information with all employees and not just executives/managers. Aerodynamics. Have always been fascinated by geese flying in formation over such distances. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Rather, what’s required are leaders who are willing to roll their sleeves to help clear the way so that their employees might be successful in their collective efforts to reach their shared goals. Speaking of birds, I recently wrote a post about leadership lessons one can learn from the iPhone game – Tiny Wings. Here are some of the interesting and amazing facts about these Geese flying in V formation and leadership lessons we can learn from these facts (Thanks to George Ambler at “The Practice of Leadership” blog for sharing this) – Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings it creates an “uplift” for the birds that follow. It's ironic how so many organizations still don't appreciate how much front-line employees can influence the way customers/clients view their organization and its offerings. Zoologist Dora Biro has speculated that the chance of survival goes up when birds take on leadership positions rather than always submitting to a … Notify me of follow-up comments by email. That's why I like sharing this example of the Canada geese migration because it so clearly demonstrates what happens when leaders put others before themselves in terms of reaching your objectives. We are surrounded with a bundle of idea concepts related to management (how we should run our businesses); what better is the Canadian Geese. And as I pointed out above, the geese at the front of the formation are the ones who take on most of this burden, giving those birds that fly behind them an easier time flying to their destination. Like the Canada geese, this will help your team to become more fluid and capable of responding to whatever challenges or opportunities they might come across in their pursuit of their shared goals. When it comes to managing your team or organization, it’s easy to fall into the trap of relying on those ‘star’ players in your organization to help your team achieve its objectives. Click on any of the links for more information. They save energy and fly faster together. When a goose drops out of the v-formation it quickly discovers that it requires a great deal more … I'm sure pilots are among those who are only too familiar with this seasonal event, though hopefully without having encountered any incidents because of it. The arrival of Spring is often associated with a sense of renewal, of shedding off the layers of protection that staved off the harsh conditions of Winter in preparation for new growth and opportunities for forward-moving change. In addition to the appearance of the first seedlings in our gardens, one of the most emblematic symbols of the arrival in Spring in this area is the return of Canada geese flying in V-formation across the sky. Addressing The Leadership Wake-Up Call Brought Forth By COVID-19. In flocks of pigeons, even the weakest birds sometimes lead. There is no single leader. 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