Parenting Babies, Toddlers & Teens

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What can a smelly old goose teach you about leadership?
by Michelle Shelton

In the 1990′s we lived on a farm in Iowa. Since I grew up in the country, I thought I knew everything there was to know about country living. Imagine my surprise at learning something life changing from a couple of old geese!

When we obtained the farm I wanted to have the full experience so I began to collect animals. We acquired cats, dogs, chickens, an old horse, guineas and the pair of geese. I recall the wisdom that came from the animals. One such piece of wisdom was on leadership.

Leadership can be applied to our families, friends, business associates, co-workers and relatives. True leaders are not born, as we are often taught. True leaders are developed. True leaders find out what others want and then they weigh the best solution to create a win / win situation. Leaders face the challenges head-on and don’t whine, ‘It’s too hard.’ They take the time and energy required to develop their character, skills, philosophies, attitudes, and goals and then? Then they allow these things to be their guiding force. Fine leaders understand that others look up to them. They grasp the concept of this immense responsibility and joyfully take on the task. Good, bad or ugly.

So, how can a smelly pair of hissing geese teach you more about leadership? Well, on the farm we owned 4 acres of woods and at night it was crawling with opossum, raccoons and coyotes. Of course that meant that each night all the feathered animals would have to be secured in the chicken coop. The chickens and guineas didn’t have a problem with going in at night. The geese? Well, the geese were another story! The geese were stubborn. The geese had ideas of their own. The geese did not want to be told what to do. Does this sound like anyone you know? A person perhaps?

Each evening all five kids, two dogs and I would do the ritual goose dance where we would chase the geese with big sticks, brooms and any other intimidating item we could find. We would attempt to forcibly push and shoo them into the chicken coop. At times my husband would strategically suggest some new technique to lure the geese into the coop. Yet, NOTHING worked! Barking, yelling and honking were standard sounds during the nightly ritual goose dance. Finally we would manage to circle up and herd the geese to the chicken coop door. They would reluctantly jump over the threshold and we would quickly and angrily slam the door shut behind them while shouting angry words and stomping toward the house. The geese were not happy. The kids were not happy. I was not happy.

The geese began to consume my thoughts. What motivated these stupid, stinking, stubborn birds? Why did they have such a mind of their own?  Why were they so…well, you know difficult? Didn’t they realize it was for their own protection to go into the coop?  We were attempting to do what was best for them,  after all, WE knew what would happen if they stayed out at night. We knew they would be goose dinner for some prowling animal in the woods. I don’t blame them. I know I don’t like to be told what to do!

Pushing someone never works. Pushing these stupid geese didn’t work. No one likes to give up his or her freedom and ideas. Even if you realize something that they don’t realize. Even if you realize it is for their own good. It doesn’t matter.

Then it dawned on me….perhaps..just perhaps….the geese were like people. Yeah. Maybe they had a mind and personality of their own. Maybe. Just maybe,  I needed to find out what the geese wanted. When I showed them how to get what they wanted, they would actually WANT to go into the coop. Maybe I could LEAD them! It was time to get creative!

That evening I opened a bag of corn and spilled a few kernels in front of the geese. They quickly waddled over and gobbled it up. I had found the answer! Woo Hoo!  I was in front of them. I was leading them. They were following me! I took the corn and kernel by kernel, they followed me right into the coop. Up and over the threshold like it was their idea. Well,  I guess it was!

I ran out and slammed the door shut and I smiled! No cursing, no anger. I was happy! I took my stick and danced around with it…you know John Travolta style. STAYIN ALIVE, STAYIN ALIVE.AH AH AH AH.STAYIN ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE.

Living on a farm means no close neighbors monitoring your behavior so you tend to be….well, let’s say more you know uninhibited. Of course as I looked up, the kids were standing there looking at me. Oh well. I had just learned the power of leadership from a couple of stupid, hissing, stinking, annoying birds! I was so happy!

From that moment on the geese were led in each night. I was able to teach my children to be leaders. What a concept. Teaching others leadership. Leadership is a skill. Skills can be learned you don’t have to be born a leader. If you want to become a strong leader, ask yourself, these questions:

What motivates your associates, employees and team members?
Are you attempting to get what YOU want by pushing or do you take time to find out what THEY want and then show them how to get it?
Are you bossing your team members or are you leading them in the right direction?
Are you creatively designing situations where everyone wins?
You never know, someday they might even thank you. After all anything is possible when you develop leadership skills!