Don't forget about Helen!

It started with the crows. Then the turkeys moved in.

My daughter had a well-constructed plan to befriend the neighborhood crows. Crows are smart birds. (And so is my daughter.) They can recognize individual humans and will respond to friendship offerings, building more trust over time.

Irrissa carefully put out food for the crows and got them used to her presence.

Gradually and respectfully, she got closer to the birds as they recognized her. They would even call to her, one crow in the nearest tree, to see if she would come out and give them a handout.

Once she emerged from the house, the crow would fly off to collect its fellows. Then, a few minutes later, the murder of four or five crows would descend to pick up breakfast. (Interestingly, a group of crows is called a "murder." I guess if a crow can only get one crow friend together, maybe it's called an "attempted murder?")

But we also have several flocks of wild turkeys in the area. In early November, the neighborhood flock of four turkey hens wandered out of the woods and discovered the peanuts that my daughter had been feeding the crows.

Our bird watching opportunities had suddenly doubled.

Doing her research and considering the possible effects of feeding the wildlife, Irrissa decided to extend her largesse to the turkey hens; “the ladies,” as they quickly became known.

Now once or twice a week I am gently awakened a little before my regular alarm by the soft creaking noise of a relaxed and curious turkey call outside my bedroom window as they pass by to the driveway.

We are guessing that the four hens are of one family. Sisters, perhaps. And like any social organization, there are different personalities involved. While the little flock wanders mostly together, one of the four turkey hens always seems to be a little bit distracted.

“Helen” is the odd one out. She is usually the last one to arrive. She sometimes doesn’t seem to realize when the others have started to walk away, continuing to scratch and peck at the ground, looking for more cracked corn.

Occasionally, she will wander up to the house or hop up to sit on the railing alone. (They all seem to like sitting on the railing near our front door.) When she can’t see her sisters, she makes mournful cooing noises until the others return to collect her.

Once regathered into the flock, all four of them wander off again. Sometimes down the street and sometimes back into the woods. We know that we will see the ladies again tomorrow.

Which all leaves me thinking about two points.

First, while one seldom achieves a desired goal without a plan (befriending the crows), it’s also wise to be open to unexpected opportunities (the turkeys).

Secondly, don’t forget about Helen!

In the workplace, sometimes the quiet person with their head down in their work, deeply engaged in whatever task they're doing, can get overlooked. They're clearly part of the team but can be missed or forgotten for a while when the pace and flow of the rest of the group turns to something else.

From a leadership standpoint, make sure that you’re checking in on your “Helens,” whatever their names or roles might be. The people who are the solid performers you count on need as much appreciation and support as the star players (your eagles) and the more challenging development projects (the crows).

Keep them around and feeling appreciated, too. Just checking in weekly to listen with confirming and appreciative comments can go a long way. This is especially important if you have “out of sight, out of mind” remote workers.

Crows and eagles can capture our attention, but don’t forget about Helen.

Happy holiday season to you! I am looking at starting up a?Positive Intelligence??mental fitness program for friends and clients early in 2023. I like the science behind it and the results I see in people (myself included). If you’d like to learn more about this, please?reply?or?we can find some time to chat.

Cheers,

–Steve