What would geese know about teamwork?

More than you may think. They use some techniques that are powerful drivers of high-performing teams.

In the 1990s, I was lucky enough to work in an amazing organisation that fostered talented people to do brilliant work. One of the team development initiatives was a video called Lessons From Geese. It was all about being part of a team. The video was so impactful it has been copied many times. Its lessons are as relevant today as then.

The wisdom of geese is obviously much older than modern organisational development practice. However, the ‘team’ practices geese know, or at least do, correlate well with what we now know about what it takes for teams to perform at high levels …

• trust between team-members is fundamental and is the foundation for other drivers of team performance

• members of high-performing teams accept and give help

• leadership in high-performing teams is a shared activity

• in teams where members actively encourage one another, there is greater productivity

• in high-performing teams, members support each other when things are difficult

You can make your team better by practicing these behaviours.

One of the encouraging features of team performance is that it can be built by anyone in a team. Presuming you are part of at least one team at work, you have more power than you may realise to influence the culture and performance of your team.

To prove this, pick one or two of these lessons from geese and try to regularly practice them in your flock, er, team. Stick with them and you will likely see others start to behave similarly. Over time your team’s culture and performance could be transformed.

You’re welcome to put this video on your site or blog. Just copy this embed code into the page you want the video on …

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sH74raCjraI" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

What stops teams from performing? Find out here.

You may like to know more about Archetype Team Development Services.

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