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Home About Us Fun Lessons from geese

Lessons from Geese

FACT 1:

As each goose flaps its wings it creates "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.

LESSON 1:

People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are travelling on the thrust of one another.

FACT 2:

When a goose falls 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 2:

If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

FACT 3:

When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.

LESSON 3:

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.

FACT 4:

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

LESSON 4:

We need 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.

FACT 5:

When a goose gets sick or wounded, two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help and protect it. 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.

LESSON 5:

If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.

* "Lessons from Geese" is widely available on the World Wide Web, though its origins are generally cited as unknown or anonymous. According to Outward Bound, "'Lessons from Geese' was transcribed from a speech given by Angeles Arrien at the 1991 Organizational Development Network and was based on the work of Milton Olson. Soon after, it began circulating among Outward Bound staff throughout the United States. However, research by Sue Widemark, has shown that Dr Robert McNeish (who had been Associate Superintendent of the Baltimore Public Schools and retired in 1992) is actually the author and he wrote it in 1972. Before he was Associate Superintendent of Schools, Dr. McNeish was a biology teacher who enjoyed going over to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and observing the geese. The facts in "Lessons from Geese" are based on a couple of sources but Dr. McNeish was apparently intrigued by a flyer he picked up near where he went to observe the geese which gave interesting facts about the geese. He wrote "Lessons from Geese" for a lay sermon he delivered in Northminster Presbyterian Church in Reisterstown, MD in 1972. In 1987, a nurse called him and got his permission to print "Lessons from Geese" on small cards to hand out at the National Nurses Convention that year. Since then it has spread.

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