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Lessons from Geese

2/22/2014

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
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 each bird flew alone.
Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community 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 those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

Fact 3: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position.
Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.

Fact 4: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
Lesson: We need to make sure honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) 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 down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it 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.

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 5 (2007).


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Team Work

9/17/2013

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Once upon that long time ago, there was a family of dinosaurs and a colony of ants. The dinosaurs ruled the earth. No living thing could match their tons of muscle and gigantic size. One alone could crush a thousand colonies of ants simply by taking a few steps. And the ants were powerless to stop them. But the ants had one thing going for them: Teamwork. Each ant had an important part to play in the structure of its colony. Each furthered the riches of the colony in terms of food and shelter and protection. The dinosaurs, on the other hand, were loners—each beast for itself.

Today, dinosaurs are extinct. But ants are still about, still planning, working, cooperating with one another for the good of the colony.

© 2006, John C. Fitts, III.  All Rights Reserved.  Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 4 (2006).


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    Author

    John Fitts is a retired hospital chaplain and a contributor & publisher of Grace Drops. John lives in Palm Harbor, Florida with his artist wife, Patty. 
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