Did I Hear You Honk?

Most things don’t work unless a team pulls together to make it work. Years ago I read an article from an unknown author about Geese and Teamwork.

As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird behind it. By flying in V-formation, the whole flock adds 71% more flying range than if each bird flew alone.

The Lesson? People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier when they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot-down, two geese drop out of formation and follow him down. They stay with the goose to help and protect it until it is able to fly again or dies. Then they launch out with another formation to catch-up with the flock.

The Lesson? If we have as much love as geese, we will stand by each other.

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

The Lesson? If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed where we want to go.

When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position.

The Lesson? It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership.

The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

The Lesson? We need to make sure our honking from behind is encouraging and helpful, not discouraging and critical.

“Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them…” Matthew 7:12