Tuesday, December 27, 2011

LESSONS FOR LIFE FROM GEESE

As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird following. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds a 71% longer flying range than if each bird flew alone. Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can go where they are going quicker and easier when they travel on the thrust of one another.

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 immediately in front. 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 tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose takes over at the point position. Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership because people, like geese, are interdependent upon each other.

The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. Lesson: We need to make sure our honking from behind is encouraging -- not something less helpful.

When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly again or dies. Then they launch out on their own, either with another formation or to catch up with the original flock. Lesson: If we have as much sense as geese, we'll stand by each other like they do.

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