ACHIEVING GOALS TOGETHER is more important than doing it alone: When you see geese flying in “V” formation, ask WHY they fly that way. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an UPLIFT for the bird immediately following. By flying in “V” formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 PERCENT greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone — and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.
Teams who share common goals (a common direction of pursuing excellence, a sense of community and togetherness, who care about each other and each other’s successes – “UPLIFT”) can get where they are going more quickly and easily.
GOOD TEAMS UNDERSTAND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY: When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back and another goose flies point. It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs. Each team member has unique skills, capabilities, talents and resources. Each team member needs to accept the responsibility to lead versus just relying on the head goose or the best player. In order to achieve the team mission, we all must take ownership & be accountable to high standards of excellence and play “our role” and accept our responsibility. None of us truly knows what any other person is going through in life. We don’t know why he/she has to give up the lead. On a team, the objective is to show empathy with our teammates’ struggles.
HONK LOUDEST WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGHEST: Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. What messages do we give when we honk from behind? Make sure your honking is true encouragement; be positive, be truthful, have pure motives for the best interest of others, and be sincere. Don’t pout; don’t whine; don’t blame others for your mediocrity; don’t just worry about what is best for just you. A true teammate honks loudest when she is furthest behind.
CARING. STAND BY EACH OTHER: When a goose gets sick & falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly again, and only then do they launch out. The beauty of being on a team is the understanding that if you falter or fail, you will never be alone. The support structure is always there to love, care, and support you, no matter the adversity or the circumstance.
A favorite story of TEAM is the movie, MIRACLE. Herb Brooks, the USA Hockey Coach at the end of the movie says, “it was a lot more than a hockey game…..The sight of 20 young men of such differing backgrounds now standing as ONE… willing to sacrifice so much of themselves, all for an unknown. …and on one weekend, as the world watched, …gave the nation what it needed most – a chance not only to dream, but a chance, once again, to BELIEVE”.
And how did Brooks get those 20 different men of differing backgrounds to stand as one and complete the Miracle? Part of the process was after a bad performance in an exhibition game where his players showed lack of focus and effort and toughness, he lined them up and made them skate “suicides” back and forth across the rink for over an hour (BTW, we never used physical punishment to teach; no pushing boards, no crawls on all fours, no 6 am work-outs, no running long distances, etc.). Coach Brooks was old school and he wanted to make his point, and as they skated back and forth down the ice rink over and over, he was preaching and lecturing and being HONEST WITH HIS TEAM by not accepting mediocrity and by telling them if they didn’t change their mindsets, they would never win GOLD. But a team can tune out the coach’s message – he needed leadership from within the team. Somebody who cared more about TEAM and winning than ME and mediocrity. Somebody who didn’t have a rope around their ankle and who didn’t mind HONKING.
After each sprint, he would ask, “What’s you name son and where are you from? And who do you play for?” And each time, the college hockey players would state his name and his hometown and then answer with his COLLEGE TEAM NAME. Not satisfied, Coach Brooks would tell the players to line back up and call for the whistle, which required his team to skate back and forth across the rink. Until finally, the right answer came:
“Mike Eruzione! Winthrop, Massachusetts.” “Who do you play for?” asked Brooks, and Eruzione exhausted from skating back and forth from red line to red line, looked up to him and exclaimed, “I play for the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!”
Finally, someone changed their thinking from just “me” and “I” and saw themselves as part of THE TEAM. Eruzione realized there was a bigger picture which involved understanding what it meant to be on TEAM USA. In Coach Brook’s mind, it was unacceptable to wear TEAM USA across your chest and during the scrimmage in preparation for the Olympics while playing another country, to be goofing around on the bench, checking out the fans in the stands rather than “honking” for your teammates on the ice. It is no coincidence that Eruzione was the captain of that team; nor should it surprise us, that when it mattered most against the Russians, he scored the game winning goal. MINDSET MATTERS!
According to Patrick Lencioni, there are 5 DYSFUNCTION OF A TEAM:
- an absence of trust, TRUTH & HONESTY whether it is on that specific team or within the athletic department;
- teams that fear that constructive conflict &/or dialogue whether internally or within the department, will result in some kind of negative outcome;
- teams &/or administrations with a lack of commitment to EXCELLENCE and thus create ambiguity in their purpose,
- a team that avoids accountability and has low standards, and
- a team that has inattention to results and does not focus on the PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT/getting better everyday.
Think about to what degree you think the following Lencioni questions are relevant in making your team functionally strong:
Are your team members passionate and unguarded in the discussion of issues?
During meetings, are the most important & difficult issues put on the table to be discussed? Do these discussions end with clear & specific resolutions and calls to action?
If yes, are these issues ever satisfactorily & constructively resolved?
Do team members call out one another’s unproductive behaviors?
Do team members know how their peers contribute to the collective good of the team?
Do team members genuinely apologize to one another when they do something inappropriate or damaging to the team?
Are team members willing to make personal sacrifices for the good of the team?
Do team members openly admit their mistakes?
Are your team members compelling and thoughtful?
Do team members leave meetings confident that their peers are completely committed to EXCELLENCE & the decisions that were agreed on?
Do team members challenge one another about their plans and approaches to pursue EXCELLENCE?
Take the lessons of the flock of geese and TEAM USA: In order to be a TEAM, realize that we can do more TOGETHER than we can alone. Take advantage of the uplifting power of being part of the team. If we HONK and support and empower each other, then we can remain strong when the times get difficult. Appreciate the opportunity to both give and receive help — TAKE OWNERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY, DEVELOP TRUST IN INTERACTIONS, TACKLE HARD ISSUES/ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS, & ALWAYS PURSUE EXCELLENCE.
By being part of the team, we understand that every HONK matters, every flap of your wings matters, and whether you are the head goose in the lead or the bringing up the rear, your purpose and effort and attitude matters to the success of the TEAM; & instead of just dreaming about GOLD, we can truly BELIEVE ALL OVER AGAIN! PURSUE EXCELLENCE & WIN THE NEXT PITCH!