What Can We Learn from Geese?

It always makes us feel good to do something nice for someone else, particularly someone that is in need. Most of us have opportunities to help family members and neighbors in some particular way.

However, think of how much more can be accomplished if a group works together to help others, whether it’s helping an organization or maybe some needy families.

I am in a woman's group, and we bring food to every meeting to give to the poor. We collect box tops and labels off cans for an elementary school in the area that has a high percentage of poor children. We willingly tackle many other tasks that help the community, and it is not difficult for any one person due to the group support.

We can learn a lot from nature as to how to effectively work together in a group. Take geese for example, when they fly south in the winter we always see them in a V formation. This formation lets them keep track of the other geese. Fighter pilots fly in this formation for this same reason. This formation enhances communication and coordination within the group.

As the geese fly in formation each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of them, which causes a reduction in wind resistance. This enables the geese to fly longer without getting tired. The flock of geese that fly in formation add a minimum of 71% greater flying range than a bird that flies solo.

Compare that to people who have a common goal and direction, plus a sense of community, and think about how much more they can accomplish by sticking together and traveling the same direction.

If the goose falls out of formation it will feel the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone, which will quickly cause it to the get back into formation. It knows the lifting power of the bird in front will make the trip easier.

If we are as bright as a goose, we would stay in formation with other people that are heading in the same direction, with the same goals.

If the head goose gets tired it rotates back further in the formation and another goose flies point, so the burden isn’t on just one goose or on one person in a group if they follow that plan.

It makes sense for people to take turns if they’re doing demanding jobs to ease the burden on everyone. Another thing geese do is a honk from behind to encourage those in front to keep up their speed. Encouragement can go a long way in enticing others to pitch in or even join a group that works together.

Another interesting point about geese is, if one goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot and falls out of the sky, two other geese will follow it down to lend help and protection.

These geese stay with that fallen goose until it’s able to fly or until it dies. Only then will they fly off on their own or with another formation to catch up with their own group.

Geese are smart enough to stand by each other in times of trouble, and certainly people should act the same way. We feel more confident and we can accomplished much more when we know someone has our back.

The success of any group depends on working together for a common goal, sharing the hard tasks and encouraging our fellow workers. There is no room for criticism or gossip, only acceptance for a good outcome.