"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."
— Helen Keller
Birds of a Feather
Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life
Have you ever witnessed the awe-inspiring sight of a massive flock of birds flying together in perfect unison? This incredible display has an interesting story behind it with starlings. Starlings are not native to North America. In 1890, a pharmacist from the Bronx named Eugene Schieffelin purchased 80 of these birds from Europe, had them shipped to New York, and released them in Central Park. Today, hundreds of millions of starlings across North America are descendants of Schieffelin’s birds, as revealed by genetic research.
One of the most remarkable behaviors of starlings is their ability to fly together in what is known as a murmuration. Thousands of birds swoop, whirl, and dive in the sky above, moving in perfect synchrony. If a predator, such as a falcon, dives to capture a starling, the entire flock will react instantly, moving as one to avoid danger.[1]
For centuries, scientists wondered how starlings managed to move in such perfect unison. Some even theorized that they might have some kind of extra-sensory perception or secret form of communication. However, recent research has revealed that strong group cohesion is the secret to their coordination.
Every starling in the flock tracks the movements of the six or so birds nearest to it with incredible intensity and focus. They pay attention to cues such as direction, speed, distance, and acceleration, providing constant signals to one another. If a predator approaches, one bird's movement will trigger an instant chain reaction of activity across the entire flock. In this way, the starlings amplify each other's focus, attention, and engagement toward a shared goal.
The behavior of starlings also holds valuable lessons for group and team dynamics, including the influence that those around us have on our actions. The birds' movements immediately impact those around them, much like the people we surround ourselves with influence how we live our lives. Being part of a team means belonging to each other and relying on each other to succeed and stay safe.
Communication is also essential for effective teamwork; starlings teach us the importance of intentional and authentic communication in being a good teammate. Just as the birds provide constant signals to one another, we must communicate openly and honestly with those we care about and help lift each other up in times of need.
The sight of a murmuration of starlings is truly stunning. This phenomenon is made possible by strong group bonds. By taking lessons from starlings, we can improve our own teamwork and communication skills and achieve greater success in our personal and professional lives! [2]
"The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team."
– Phil Jackson
Connecting this quote to the story. The strength of each team member comes from being part of a supportive and cohesive team. Like starlings amplify each other's signals and focus, a strong team culture can help individual athletes perform at their best and achieve their goals.
This week’s Chasing Influence tip: The ability to have a positive influence over oneself adds up; the ability to have a positive influence over others multiplies.
If you enjoyed this story, there is a series of 99 available with discussion questions and answers (including this one) in three Chasing Influence workbooks. Each workbook contains 33 lessons to use with any team.
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[1] It's a stunning sight that can be experienced by searching for “starling murmurations” on YouTube.
[2] Ideas about Starlings inspired by Daniel Coyle’s the Culture Code.
©Troy Urdahl, 2024