The "Wisdom of Geese"
Watch the "Wisdom of Geese" video on YouTube and reflect on Proverbs 27:17
Response and provide an example.
How do geese demonstrate effective teamwork and leadership?
What can we learn from their behavior?
As you reflect on the video, what are the prerequisites for being a successful team member?
How do these prerequisites contribute to the overall effectiveness of the team?
Sample Solution
According to the video Wisdom of The Geese - Best Motivational Video, geese demonstrate effective teamwork and leadership in a few ways:
- Sharing a Common Goal: Geese fly in a V formation which creates lift for the birds that follow. This reduces the effort required to fly long distances. The takeaway is that people who collaborate towards a common goal can achieve more together than they could individually.
- Increasing Visibility: The V formation also allows geese to see better in front of them. This is a metaphor for importance of clear communication in organizations. When everyone has a clear view of the bigger picture, teams can make better decisions and avoid obstacles.
- Humility: Geese readily admit when they need help. If a goose falls out of formation, it will honk to signal for help and rejoin the formation to take advantage of the lift from other geese. The lesson here is to be humble and ask for help when facing challenges.
- Empowering Others: The lead goose in a formation gets tired from time to time and rotates back into the formation allowing another goose to take the lead. This teaches us the importance of empowering others to lead. Micromanaging hinders progress and demotivates others. People have unique talents and abilities, and giving them autonomy can lead to surprising positive outcomes.
- Recognizing Great Work: Geese honk to acknowledge each other's efforts. The video emphasizes the importance of recognizing and praising people's accomplishments. Lack of recognition can lead to dissatisfaction and demotivation.
Full Answer Section
- Offering Support: When a goose gets sick or injured, two geese will drop out of the formation to stay with it and offer help. This highlights the importance of supporting each other during difficult times.
- Staying Committed: Geese migrate along the same routes year after year. The young learn the routes from their parents. This emphasizes the importance of staying true to core values and purposes. Even when strategies and products change, successful organizations stay committed to their core values.
The Bible verse Proverbs 27:17 says: "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." This verse reflects the same message as the geese video. Just like iron sharpening iron makes both pieces of iron sharper, people working together can make each other better.
Here are some prerequisites for being a successful team member, based on the video and the Bible verse:
- Shared goals: Be committed to the team's goals and objectives.
- Communication: Communicate clearly and openly with your teammates.
- Humility: Be willing to admit when you need help and be open to feedback.
- Support: Be supportive of your teammates and offer help when needed.
- Reliability: Be reliable and dependable. Show up on time and complete your tasks.
- Respect: Respect your teammates and their ideas.
These prerequisites contribute to the overall effectiveness of the team in the following ways:
- Shared goals and communication help to ensure that everyone is working towards the same thing and that there is no confusion about what needs to be done.
- Humility and support create a positive and trusting environment where people are willing to take risks and help each other out.
- Reliability helps to ensure that deadlines are met and that projects are completed on time and on budget.
- Respect creates a more enjoyable work environment for everyone.
By following these prerequisites, you can be a successful team member and help your team achieve its goals.
