It might not pass today’s efficacy test for organisational development, but 25 years later two lessons have stayed with me:
‘First up, Gung Ho! introduced some colourful concepts – “the spirit of the squirrel,” “the way of the beaver,” & my favourite, “the gift of the goose.”
In nature, when geese fly in formation, one is always “honking” – research suggests it’s their way of encouraging & checking in with each other. They also take turns leading the aerodynamic V-formation, & when one goose tires & falls back, at least two stay with it until it can rejoin the group.
You can see where this is going…
Fast-forward to today, & I think we could all use a bit more goose-like behaviour. When pressure mounts, encouragement, shared burden, & checking in on each other should be the last things to disappear – yet they’re often the first.
So, as you set about your work this week, consider:
Who can you encourage today?
When will you take your turn at the front – or step back to let someone else lead?
Who in your team has fallen behind or disengaged, & why? More importantly, how can you help them back into the formation?
For those of us working in the leadership & culture space, it can often feel challenging to create content people talk about six weeks later – let alone 25 years. So, I suppose that Teepee session got plenty right.
…& my second takeaway from this event?
Always share accommodation with the wine buyer!
Have a great week!
#gooseapprovedlifelessons #strongerhumans
