Great post Tanveer! Featured image by Hamid Hajihusseini – http://www.panoramio.com/photo/43585282 CC 3.0, Building a Network with No Masters, No Leaders, Conflict, confusion, miscommunication, or other problems causing you problems? Encourage your employees to develop their skills Although I’ve discussed the lessons on teamwork and collaboration that we can learn from this seasonal migration, seeing these birds in flight over the weekend brought to mind some additional lessons we can apply in how we serve those we have the responsibility to lead. Good point, Greg. It's really interesting to think about how much communication and teamwork goes into their migration. In flocks of pigeons, even the weakest birds sometimes lead. As the sight of the Canada geese flying overhead reminds us, Spring is also a great time to reassess how we approach our leadership and what measures we can take to better serve those under our care. 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. Similarly, what’s needed in today’s organizations are not leaders who are simply interested in directing those they lead to some predetermined goal. Great article, interesting parallels. You may find it useful – . After all, these employees are typically closest to the customer. They would really appreciate it once you leave and they take your position. When they fly in the v-formation, for instance, the lead bird works the hardest. Required fields are marked *. 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Communicate your vision so that everyone understands where they need to go Addressing The Leadership Wake-Up Call Brought Forth By COVID-19. 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. One of the best insights I've gained from the Canadian geese is their ability to travel together, while switching roles throughout the journey. All the birds except the first fly in the upwash from one of the wingtip vortices of the bird ahead. Can you refer me to some video of the birds changing positions, perhaps in discovery channel or so? The theory has now been proved in a study published by Nature magazine. Birds share leadership. They save energy and fly faster together. (from Amman, Jordan). The V formation possibly improves the efficiency of flying birds, particularly over long migratory routes. There are very few migratory animals which seem to evoke as clear an image of how we perceive leadership than the Canada geese. Birds flying in flocks can migrate longer distances than birds flying alone. The bird at the front works the hardest. Here are three things we can learn from flocks of birds. Thanks for pointing out your piece; I'll be sure to check it out. 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. There is no single leader. Thanks Sammy; glad you enjoyed the insights gleaned from this seasonal migratory event. 1. When starlings of flamingos are threatened, the whole flock reacts at once with very little delay between noting the threat and evading it. 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. That idea in itself is another reason why leaders should regularly communicate and inform their employees of the rationale behind the decisions being made so that their team can help in the execution to ensure their ideas take hold and lead to the end result they're after. More than you might think. 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. It requires a great deal more effort and energy to fly alone than it does to fly together. There’s a lot more to each short description. 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. 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. 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. 3. Birds share leadership. “Large number of flamingos at Lake Nakuru” by Syllabub – Own work. 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 … 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. Providing your employees with consistent and timely communications will not only help them to understand what course they need to take, but of when and why course changes will be needed as a means of ensuring that they stay on target. 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. Congratulations on the wonderful narration, once again. After all, when they’re flying in V-formation, it’s not hard to recognize whose the leader at that moment – it’s the bird flying out in front and center of the group. It isn’t any one bird that has the responsibility for protecting the flock. I was knowing the example of the flock of migrant birds but I was looking for a proper narration to take to the students. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0. Communicate your vision so that everyone understands where they need to … Reading this article, really makes me wonder of how a small world we live in. When birds fly in the classic V … When a bird … 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. 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. Absolutely, Tim. ; ) Have a great day! Learn how your comment data is processed. We'll ask experts to respond. I have no idea that there is a reason behind the formation those birds. The concept of leaders is explained beautifully!! Your email address will not be published. Thanks Shaquille; I'm glad you enjoyed how this analogy of why the Canada geese fly in V-formation can provide us with some practical lessons on how leaders can serve their employees. The best and most successful leaders understand that one of their primary responsibilities is to help their employees succeed in their efforts. 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. 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. Wonderful post. Birds share leadership of the v-formation. Encourage your employees to develop their skills Hopefully they will steer clear of the airplanes! Does Your Leadership Inspire Collaboration Or Conflict Inside Your Organization? Have always been fascinated by geese flying in formation over such distances.