Team Building & Leadership Lessons from Nature Date:   Wednesday , February 27, 2013 The footwear brand Woodland initiated in 1992, is owned by Aero Group. The flagship company which began its operations in 1960s now has an asset base of over $100 million. There is no denying that teams form the foundation of today's corporate structure. Good team dynamics and good working relationship between the members of the team ensure better productivity and performance. Belonging to a team makes one feel part of something larger than self. Have you ever thought of learning team work from nature? Observing nature can allow you to learn leadership lessons in a different way. Nature has a certain natural way of unfolding that can provide you with ideas about how you can lead at your best. We can observe from animal behavior the cooperation, dedication, teamwork and concept of leadership. We do have some lessons from Nature which provides a perfect example of the importance of team work and how it can have a profound and powerful effect on any form of personal or business endeavor. For instance, Geese take full advantage of the power of their group, sharing leadership responsibilities and flying in a structure that enables the flock to leverage the strength and power of its individual members, sometimes numbering in to thousands. It is said that the Geese can make an annual round trip journey of more than 5,000 miles at a speed of 50 mph or more. Different animals from various spheres of the earth; land, sea and birds, all exhibit similar cooperative and team work behavior, moving together, threats, unsafe situations and overcoming them as we humans do in our lives. We see birds building their nest/ home. My learning from them is they have motives, team work and vision. Even a small but skilled bird builds the nest with proper technique. If you see through life in water, small to large fishes all move together as a team. Similarly large animals also exhibit behavior we can see around us. But the bottom line is the team work and leadership in animal kingdoms and we social animals often forget this. All these examples are perfect instance of encouragement to understand the concepts of team work and leadership to show that in the nature everything is working in a system. Some of the key lessons one can learn from nature are : The Importance of Achieving Goals When we have a sense of community and focus, we create trust and can help each other to achieve our goals. The Importance of Team Work If we had as much sense as geese we would stay in group with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others. The Importance of Sharing It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks. We should respect and protect each other's unique arrangement of skills, capabilities, talents and resources. The Importance of Empathy and Understanding If we have as much sense as geese we will stand by each other in difficult times, as well as when we are strong. The Importance of Encouragement We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups and teams where there is encouragement, productivity is much greater. 'Individual empowerment results from quality honking'. Our fine feathered friends, sea or land animals, they do not spend a millisecond thinking about the Team building & Leadership lessons they provide. They teach us that we can accomplish more when we work together as a team. Individual talent, as impressive as it may be, will only be multiplied when that person joins forces with others. People, who share a common vision, mission, and purpose, attain that goal faster and more efficiently when they work together. Just as the geese generate thrust as they travel together, our team's thrust will allow us to accomplish more when we stay together. The geese also teach us that staying in formation gives a bonding and makes it better than going alone. Unity in the workplace is defined not by a pat on the back when we succeed, but in lifting up a team member's hand when he is down. A unified team wants everyone to succeed. Finally, Nature teaches us that someone has to take the lead and someone has to honk from behind. Each team member brings different skills and abilities to accomplish the goals. Sometimes, we may be the person to bring the team to victory. At times, someone else may have the right talent and skills to accomplish the mission, and therefore we must fly information from the back; honking our support with enthusiasm.