I went to check on my goose friends this morning and discovered a white goose. He/she is not a Canada goose in the color and size and he/she never honked either. When the two accompanying Canada geese took flight he/she did too. A few minutes later they did a fly by and had added a fourth to the group. The island geese are pairing off now. And building/rebuilding nest. The yearlings, parents and other family members are on their own until we have goslings running about.
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Today a touch of cabin fever set in. A broken leg, radiation for cancer and some very cold weather have kept me pretty well housebound except for necessities like church and haircuts. So, it warmed up a bit and Teresa and I go for a walk. We take my normal geese path and there were six in the water this late in the day. We stopped and looked a couple a minutes and then walked on and they could no longer see us. Suddenly, we here a take off and here comes a goose out of the water and lands back in the water near us and immediately jumps out onto the shore honking away. We turn back toward him and stop within a few feet and as I talk he calms down but never goes back to the water. I looked at his webbed feet closely trying to see if it might be Luci that we rescued last year but there were no holes in the webbing so either it was all grown back together or it was another goose. Whatever it was a nice walk and goose visit.
During the fall, thousands of Canada Geese migrate from northern Canada to the central U.S. They fly in a V-formation at speeds of 60 miles per hour, honking constantly. They can fly for 16 hours without resting.How do they do this? Through teamwork. So what can we learn from these geese?
My nephew, Mark, is encouraging me and giving me very professional help in writing the book. I am buckling down beginning December 4 for three weeks of intense writing. It is not The Greatest Story Ever Told but it will be my story of the same driving force. (So I got delayed with radiation treatments but now that that is done we can move on with writing here in late January.)
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. The lesson to learn here is to stay true to our core values and purpose. Strategies, tactics, and products may change in order for an organization or family to remain agile, but great companies and families always stick to their core purpose and values, and preserve them with vigour.
When a goose gets sick or wounded, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down 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 their 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.
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. Lack of recognition is one of the main reasons employees are unsatisfied at work and quit. (This applies to family too.) It’s very common for people’s efforts to go unnoticed by their peers in a busy and fast-moving work environment. However, remembering to constantly provide recognition and encouragement is vital and keeps teams motivated to achieve their goals.
When the lead goose in the front gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and allows another goose to take the leadership position. The lesson here is to empower others to also lead. Micro-managing and keeping tight control will burn you out. It will also disengage and demotivate others around you. People have unique skills, capabilities, and gifts to offer. Give them autonomy, trust and a chance to shine, and you will be surprised with the outcomes.
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, your family and your company to move faster and achieve more.
Flying in a V-formation increases the visibility as every goose can see what’s happening in front of them. The lesson here is to make our organizations visible in both org-chart directions. Having top-down visibility enables leaders to stay connected with the edges of the organization to make better informed decisions. Bottom-up visibility enables employees to see the bigger picture, engages them, and empowers them to better align themselves with the organizational objectives.
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I'm a wanna be writer but until recently only dabbled with personal stories and illustrations. My true joy is my relationship with God and family. Then comes the Christian music and technology. I am retired and occasionally work part time but when not too occupied I'm writing a book that I call Goose Freedom. Archives
February 2018
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