Harmony in Honks: Insights on Leadership, Followership, and Trust from the Barnyard

Friday Fables: Leadership Tales from the Barnyard

With a honk honk here, a honk honk there, here a honk, there a honk, everywhere a honk honk... that's the soundtrack I encountered while attempting to record videos in the barnyard this week. Regardless of where I positioned myself in the barnyard, the geese would make their presence known with their distinctive calls. Contemplating their behavior led my thoughts toward followership. In organizational terms, followership is characterized by the willingness or ability to follow a leader. This reflection prompted me to ponder the question, "What qualities make a leader worth following?"

Firstly, it's important to note that a goose in the barnyard holds the role of a guardian animal. Their distinctive honks serve as an alert, signaling to everyone within earshot that something or someone is present in the area that shouldn't be. I often experience this vigilant honking when I go to lock up the chickens after sunset, as the geese don't accompany me but make their presence known through honks.

As I navigate different areas on the farm, the geese consistently stay within 10-15 feet, occasionally vocalizing a reminder that they are there. The question arises: why do they follow me across fields and fences? Interestingly, when we have visitors in the barnyard, the geese honk but do not actively follow them. Moreover, they display hesitation towards familiar individuals like my wife and kids. While one might argue that they perceive me as a food source, it raises the question of why they wouldn't view others similarly. Additionally, they exhibit signs of aggressive behavior with less familiar people, contrasting with the ease with which I can move around without concern of being flogged.

After reflecting on these observations, I've identified three reasons why the geese seem to follow me:

1. They recognize that I genuinely care about and for them.
2. I actively engage with them, fostering communication through verbal interaction.
3. They have developed a high degree of trust in me, evident in their behavior and reactions.

As leaders of people and organizations, these three elements are crucial in establishing followership. Demonstrating genuine care is paramount. This care manifests through empathy during challenging times, celebrating life milestones, actively listening without distraction, and ensuring that team members receive quality time away from the workplace for regular resets. Another perspective on caring involves prioritizing connection before content. Before delving into daily tasks, it's essential to forge connections with your team, fostering a supportive and understanding environment.

Communication manifests in diverse ways, encompassing the manner in which we articulate thoughts, our choice of language, and the art of attentive listening. Effective communication is often synonymous with a two-way flow, fostering an exchange of words, ideas, concerns, and emotions. An essential trait in leadership involves recognizing how individuals prefer to engage in communication. This demands the capacity to meet people at their communication preferences and guide them through a journey of shared understanding.

For me, the paramount aspect lies in the skill of active listening and the ability to reflect back what has been heard, fostering consensus in the communicated messages. It's about engaging in a dialogue rather than delivering a monologue, creating a connection that transcends mere words.

Trust is like a delicate tapestry woven through time and shared experiences. As a leader, it's the cornerstone of followership. Picture it as a precious thread carefully crafted over moments of honesty, reliability, and understanding. Building trust is an investment, a patient process of proving your intentions and capabilities.

Yet, this fragile tapestry of trust is susceptible. A solitary act, be it a misplaced word or a broken promise, can swiftly unravel it. It serves as a poignant reminder that once trust is shattered, its repair becomes a formidable challenge. Leaders must navigate with caution, continually strengthening the threads that weave trust, while steering clear of actions that could fray or sever them. The erosion of trust in various sectors, including the tech industry, finance, automotive, and others, has prominently featured in headlines. This underscores the importance for leaders to preemptively address mistakes, taking ownership before their actions become the day's news. In essence, trust is the heartbeat of effective leadership. It pulsates through every interaction, decision, and connection, influencing the strength of the leader-follower relationship. So, handle it with care, nurture it with authenticity, and recognize that its fragility demands constant attention and respect.

In the barnyard symphony of honks and observations, a profound connection between leadership and followership emerges. The geese, functioning as guardians, shed light on the essence of followership, prompting a contemplation of the qualities that render a leader worth following. Their vigilant honks, resonating with an acute awareness of the surroundings, parallel the significance of communication in leadership.

As I reflect on the reasons behind the geese's inclination to follow me, a trio of essential elements comes to the fore: genuine care, active engagement, and a foundation of trust. These elements, crucial in the barnyard dynamic, seamlessly translate into the realm of human leadership. Leaders, much like the geese, must exhibit authentic care through empathy, commemorate milestones, and offer moments for team members to reset.

Communication, a common thread in barnyard honks and human interactions, underscores the importance of understanding individual communication preferences. The journey of shared understanding necessitates leaders to actively listen, reflect, and engage in meaningful dialogues. This approach goes beyond mere words, cultivating connections that are both authentic and enduring.

Lastly, trust emerges as the delicate tapestry woven through leadership experiences. Leaders, acting as caretakers of this fragile thread, must handle trust with precision, consistently reinforcing it while avoiding actions that may unravel it. The headlines of trust deterioration in various industries serve as cautionary tales, underscoring the imperative for leaders to acknowledge their mistakes and proactively address them.

In essence, this barnyard reflection paints a holistic picture of effective leadership—a harmonious fusion of care, communication, and trust. As leaders navigate their unique barnyards, the honks of geese and the intricacies of followership serve as reminders to approach leadership with authenticity, nurture connections, and safeguard the delicate tapestry of trust.

What elements of genuine care, active engagement and trust do you believe are crucial for leaders to seamlessly translate the lessons from the barnyard, as seen in the geese's inclination to follow, into effective human leadership?

If you found these barnyard tales intriguing, have a curiosity about the lessons we can draw from observing farm animals, or are eager to learn from my experiences (including the lessons learned from mistakes), please express your support by liking and sharing this post. Let's connect on LinkedIn, and feel free to send me a message if you'd like to explore how I could offer assistance to you, your team, and/or organization. I'm excited about the prospect of connecting with you and exchanging valuable insights!