What the Geese Teach Us

This is my last post as the Educational Coordinator for the BNI Point To Success. I was sitting in my car this week thinking about what I would like to say to wrap up my time here and a flock of geese flew overhead testing out their wings for the journey. I realized that since my mission was to inform, involve and inspire you to be the best that you could be at your respective businesses and as referral partners with BNI Point To Success, that the well-known story "Lessons fom Geese" would be appropriate.

This bit of prose has been around a long time. It has been attributed to many, but it actually was written by the Assistant Superintendent of Education for the Baltimore School District in 1972. Dr. Robert McNeisch, a one-time biology teacher, wrote this piece as a lay sermon for his church after observing a flock of geese.

{Photo credit: www.financialaidpodcast.com and www.christopherspenn.com}

Lessons From 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% greater flying range than if eah bird flew alone.



Lesson:

People who share a common direction and sense of community, like BNI Point To Success, can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.



Fact 2:

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



Lesson:

If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with our BNI Point to Success partners since we are all headed in the same direction. We should not only be willing to accept their help, but give our help to others in the group.



Fact 3:

When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.



Lesson:

It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks an sharing leadership. Thank you to the entire outgoing leadership team and thank you to the incoming team as well. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities, unique gifts, talents and resources. Our BNI Point to Success 'flock' needs every single person to step up and be a leader. It is easy to think that someone else will do it, that it isn't for me, that I couldn't possibly do what they are doing. You would be wrong. I encourage you to bring your gifts to the table for the next leadership team. You might be surprised what you will learn about yourself in the process.



Fact 4:

The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.



Lesson:

We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups like BNI Point to Success where there is a lot of encouragement, the production is much greater. There are a thousand little ways that we support each other not just in BNI but in our daily lives. The power of encouragement is the quality of honking we seek.



Fact 5:

When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help and protect it. They stay with it until dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.



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. And that will be our Point to Success.



Working Words of Wisdom

Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for...

~Joseph Addison



Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve the BNI Point to Success chapter, to find more ways to love working with all of you, and for giving me hope that there is clear path to my success with the support of each of you.



Enjoy the day!