Operation Migration & Lessons Learned From Geese

William Lishman joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets because he loved to fly. He was color blind, however, and was released from duty. He found another vocation--helping endangered birds migrate to safer havens using an ultralight plane. It was his story that was featured in the movie "Fly Away Home." He is now on a mission to help the Whooping Cranes make it to Florida. If you'd like to know where they are in their current migration or see some beautiful video of migrating birds in flight, go to their web site: http://operationmigration.org/index.html

This story reminds me of something that I read years ago. Its unclear who originally wrote it, but it's message is wonderful.

Lessons Learned From Geese

1. Fact: 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 72% 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 another.
   
2. Fact: 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 out help to others.
   
3. Fact: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 going the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities, and unique arrangements of gifts, talents, and resources.
   
4. Fact: The geese flying formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
   
   Lesson: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is 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.
   
5. Fact: 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 had as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.