1. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an “uplift” for the birds following. By flying in “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% to the 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 more rapidly and more easily because they are travelling on the thrust of one another.

2. Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone, and quickly get into formation to take advantage of the “lifting power” of the bird immediately in front.

Lesson: If we have as much sense as the goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed where we want to go.

3. When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position.

Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks, and sharing the leadership. With people, as with geese, it pays to be interdependent with each other.

4. The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those in front to keep up their speed.

Lesson: We need to make sure our honking from behind is encouraging – not something less helpful!

5. When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot down, one or two other geese drop out of formation and follow him down to help. They stay with him until he is either able to fly again or dies and then they launch out on their own to join another formation travelling in the same direction as their own flock.

Lesson: If we have as much sense as the geese, we will help each other like that.