Like so many, I’ve been focused on the drastic and rapid changes happening in the US in the last few weeks. Most of my work is in supporting nonprofit leaders and organizations. As many of you reading this will know, the sector, and the people and issues they are advocating and caring for, have been hit hard. I keep wondering how leaders are going to sustain through trying times if the last few weeks have been a preview of the kind of energy and focus it will need.
And as I do, my mind keeps wandering back to my childhood in the rural outback of southeastern Oregon. Canadian geese made their biannual migrations through the area, stopping at the appropriately named Goose Lake. The sound of a Canadian goose is a distinct honk, which gives them the nickname “honkers.” The goose and its sound are so emblematic of the region that our high school mascot was “the Honkers.”
These special birds offer many teachings for leaders, especially during trying times. I am not the first to call up leadership lessons from a honker (but I might be the first to do so using its nickname), but I thought it was worthwhile to share if you hadn’t heard the analogy before. And it seems timely to think about how these lessons apply to the moment we are in.
The V-Formation: Lessons for Shared Leadership
Canadian geese are renowned for their V-formation flight pattern, a strategy that goes beyond mere aesthetics. It isn’t just a flight pattern; it’s a blueprint for resilient, sustainable leadership in the face of uncertainty. This formation serves a crucial purpose in their long-distance migrations and can inform how to lead in trying times:
- Shared Leadership: The lead goose bears the brunt of air resistance, making the journey easier for those following behind. However, what’s truly remarkable is how they share this burden. When the lead goose tires, it rotates to the back of the formation, allowing another to take its place at the front. This distributed leadership ensures that no single individual is overburdened while maintaining the group’s momentum.
- Efficiency Through Collaboration: Flying in formation allows geese to travel 70-71% farther than they could alone, thanks to reduced air resistance and shared effort. This synergy highlights the power of teamwork in achieving results that exceed individual capabilities.
- Support During Adversity: If a goose falls out of formation due to injury or fatigue, others accompany it until it recovers or passes away. This sense of community ensures that no member is left behind, reinforcing the value of mutual care and accountability in leadership.
- Focus on Destination: Without alignment on their goal, geese would struggle to complete their migration—a reminder that effective leadership requires clarity of purpose and unity. The flock’s success depends on a shared destination and collective effort.
- Diverse Perspectives Inform the Way Forward: Geese have various sources of knowledge to tap into to find their way. They navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field, celestial positioning (orienting by the location of the sun and stars), visual landmarks, flock experience (younger geese learn the way from older geese who’ve followed the route before), and group dynamics (if the lead goose loses its way, the collective brings it back on track or gives it rest). By having multiple sources of knowledge and wisdom, geese can find their way together, and this becomes particularly useful if the known context changes or something blurs the path.
- Flexibility and Humility: The geese’s willingness to rotate leadership roles reflects a focus on group success rather than individual status. This adaptability ensures that decisions prioritize the well-being of the entire flock over personal ambition.
A Honker’s* Recommendation for Leadership in These Trying Times
The path forward for all of us is unclear right now, not unlike the migration routes of geese sometimes. But, we can take their lessons for leadership and make choices to adapt to this moment:
- Share Responsibility: Just as geese alternate the lead position, leaders in social service/justice and sustainability/regenerative movements must be willing to share the burden of navigating uncertainty. Instead of one person or team carrying all the load, think about how you can distribute the leadership. People don’t have to be in positions of leadership to lead, and they very likely have some perspective that could help.
- Rest and Recuperate and Give Others the Permission to Do So Too: By allowing tired members to fall back, the flock ensures that no single individual becomes exhausted. Similarly, in our movements, we must create systems and permissions that allow leaders to step back and recharge when needed. We are not in a marathon, we’re in a relay. A relay is not won by sprinting the whole way; it is won by giving it your all and then passing it off to someone else who can do the same. Sprinting on your own is unsustainable and leads to burnout. Slow down and recharge while another honker leads for a spell. And encourage those around you to do the same.
- Employ Diverse Strengths: You might be tempted to focus on all that is going wrong. Notice, name, and elevate the bright spots and strong foundations you are building from. Different geese take the lead at different times, leveraging their individual strengths. Encourage diverse voices to lead in their areas of expertise.
- Bring Humility and Flexibility: The geese’s willingness to rotate leadership roles reflects a focus on group success rather than individual status. This adaptability ensures that decisions prioritize the well-being of the entire flock over personal ambition. Flex and adapt roles and responsibilities to remain resilient and responsive to challenges.
- Adopt a Sensemaking Mindset: Geese have multiple sources to draw from to chart their path. If one source isn’t providing an answer, they turn to another source. In so doing, geese can undertake their long migrations with incredible precision, demonstrating a balance of instinct, learning, and teamwork. The narrower your perspective becomes, the more necessary it is to step back and see things from a different perspective. Loosen your grip on there being one right or only way to accomplish your goals. Inquire into multiple perspectives, get curious, ask questions, and then brainstorm all the choices and options, even the ones you don’t like. Make this practice of inquiry a habit.
- Champion and Care for Each Other: Effective leadership involves creating systems of care where every member feels valued and supported. Like geese honking encouragement from behind, let’s vocally support those at the forefront of our movements. And for those falling behind, let’s ensure we support and uplift all members of our community. This sense of community ensures that no member is left behind, reinforcing the value of mutual care and accountability in leadership.
- Focus on Where You’re Trying to Go: Despite obstacles, geese maintain their formation and direction. Let’s remain committed to our larger visions, even when the path gets tough. The path might change, but there are many paths up a mountain. Detours might lead to a more effective path.
We can make it through these trying and turbulent times collectively, especially if we take a page out of the honker’s playbook. What other strategies might come to mind when you look to geese as teachers for leadership?
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*Because we moved before I started high school, I actually only made it to gosling status. But I was a honker in spirit.