Lessons From the Geese

Growing up in Spokane, Washington, I found there to be a lot of separation between people. Whether it be in church, school, and even my parents’ divorce, polarization was all around me.

I was fascinated by what brought people together and created unity, which started my journey of studying community building. My senior year, I threw a party involving three high schools what were often rivals. Spokane’s Riverfront Park left an impression — hundreds of Canadian geese flocked there.

One day, I learned facts about geese and it changed my life. Schoolteacher Dr. Robert McNeish presented these facts at a church ceremony in 1972 and for four decades, the information he presented has been shared and turned into lessons.

Learn from Leaders

A 2015 Gallup study shows that a highly engaged leadership team can boost employee engagement up to 39%. Engagement leads to team productivity and innovation. It fosters and encourages a level of passion and energy in ourselves, as well as in our friends, associates or team members. So you can see how teamwork can have a profound and powerful effect on any personal or business endeavour.

Now let’s learn from the geese:

Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an UPLIFT for the birds that follow. By flying in a 'V' formation, the whole flock adds 71 percent to the flying range.

Lesson: When we have a sense of community and focus, we create trust and can help each other to achieve our goals.

Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back to take advantage of the lifting power of the birds in front.

Lesson: If we had as much sense as geese, we would 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 a goose tires of flying up front, it drops back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.

Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks. We should respect and protect each other's unique arrangement of skills, capabilities, talents and resources.

Fact 4: When a goose gets sick, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to the ground to help and protect it.

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

Fact 5: Geese flying in formation 'HONK' to encourage those up front to keep up with their speed.

Lesson: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups and teams where there is encouragement, production is much greater. Individual empowerment results from quality honking.

At the Business Acceleration Network, we use these principles to build the local business economy and community. Our event includes mastermind meals, which allow entrepreneurs to share business and personal goals and challenges, while allowing other local leaders to support and guide them.

We host a complimentary mastermind Monday webinar where individuals can access mentors and other fellow entrepreneur to garner the marketing and the acceleration assistance they desire. It is this shared vision of support and collaboration that has helped numerous people achieve business success.

If your company desires collaboration and a business community to work with, then join us at www.BusinessAccelerationNetwork.com. We also have a free mobile app.

Shannon Gronich has successfully attained over $3.2M in FREE publicity and is notorious for being the owner of the "Million Dollar Rolodex" and teaching others how to do the same. She has trained and coached thousands of individuals in marketing, event production, business development and personal growth. Shannon is the creator of a magnetic community — the Business Acceleration Network, where she guides businesses to build a successful enterprise while having fun and making lots of money.

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