WE ALL NEED SUPPORT AT SOME TIME
One of the most valuable aspects of participating in the Management Network meetings, is the opportunity to share stories with those working in similar roles that you wouldn't normally get a chance to meet so as to learn different approaches to familiar problems.
Talking about stories, here is one of my favourites. It is taken from a wonderful little book titled 'Tales for Trainers' by Margaret Parkin (Kogan Page, 2002)
I hope you enjoy it and can identify with the moral of the story and consider its relevance to healthcare management and change.
LESSONS FROM THE GEESE
As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird flying behind. Flying in a 'V' formation adds around 70% greater flying range than if a bird was flying alone. Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. When the leed goose gets tired, it rotates back into formation and another goose takes the leed. The geese at the back of the 'V' honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. If a goose gets shot down or becomes sick, two others drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it is either able to fly again or it dies.
New Regional Management Networks are launching over the next few months. Keep in touch with what's going on by regularly visiting this blog and sharing the information with your colleagues.
See you soon.
posted by Józefa Fawcett at 9:07 am
4 Comments:
So why don't the geese fly in a straight line formation?
JOHN @ UEL
Perhaps so that they can get a good 'gander' at the landscape and watch out for things that might affect them from various perspectives?
Why does it feel that during the CPLNHS process the stronger geese, that is those who have been successful in the appointments process, do not appear to be encouraging and supporting those who are faltering and so demoralised that it does not seem to be worth the effort of flapping ones wings?
Anonymous - you raise an excellent point here by highlighting an action that goes far beyond expectations. Perhaps the 'strong geese' forget that when they too are sick, they might need that kind of help and support too?
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