No, this is not another post about the seven leadership lessons we can learn from geese.  Yes, it does come from watching geese, but it’s something that others have overlooked, and it has to do with leading through transition.  And as usual, a simple demonstration by mother nature carries powerful lessons for us about how to lead in chaotic, unsettled times.

Notes and Resources:

• Prefer to read?  Here’s the full post:  Leading Through Transition: Tips for Leaders in Times of Change
• According to The Cornell Lab, snow geese are possibly the noisiest of all water fowl.  The audio clip of a flock of snow geese comes from SoundBible (public domain); for best effect, set volume to 10!
• Especially in times of transition, it is critical to get out from behind the desk and go to where the team is; for more on what to do when you get there, read Getting Down in the Trenches:  Tips for Taking Over
   

Quotable: 

“When things are unsettled, people look for clues about what to do; we have to place ourselves where they look, or they’ll get their cues from someone else.”  - Ken Downer

“Follow me and do as I do.”  - Standing Order of the Infantry Fire Team Leader

“Leaders focus on the ‘doing’ not on the ‘not doing.’”  - Ken Downer  

“If hundreds of snow geese can manage the complex transition to flight just by honking, squawking, and flapping around, think what we could do with words.”  - Ken Downer

Related posts: 

Leaders Go First: The Surprising Impact of Making the First Move

Seeking Discomfort: 7 Ways to Embrace Uncomfortable Feedback

Leading Former Peers: 27 Tips, Tactics, and Techniques

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Thanks for listening, and Lead On!