Create an Intentional Wake, Vistage Fundamental #2

This is Steve Van Valin with Culturology, and I’d like to share this month’s fundamental for the Vistage Brandywine Valley Groups led by our master chair, Jim Lucas.

We have the Vistage Way, which is composed of 14 fundamentals, and each month we take a focused look at one of them. This month, it’s number two: to create an intentional wake.

Now, the theme of this fundamental is about having a positive influence on everyone around you, recognizing that you have the ability to create a wave that impacts the world, and setting an example for others by being the change you want to see.

Now, typically, when we think of the word wake, we think of a ship in the ocean. Or in this case the new United States destroyer, the stealth destroyer creating a wake that we can see trailing behind it. But I wanted to provide a different metaphor that we can parlay and think about how this fundamental applies to us as leaders.

That’s a familiar scene that we all see in the Brandywine Valley, the Canadian geese. They’re here 12 months out of the year, and you may have noticed that it doesn’t take more than 100 yards off the ground, and the flock is already trying to form a V formation. The V formation creates a type of wake which allows the birds to work effectively together. Now, the lead bird is actually the only one who’s working at full capacity, and everyone else is benefiting from the draft or the wake that that lead bird creates.

Now, it may be imperceptible, but each bird is actually slightly higher than the one in front of it because that’s where they’re able to take most advantage of the wake or the draft of the bird in front of them.

Now, here’s a leader lesson for us. When the lead bird gets tired, they don’t have to stay out in front and slow down the flock. They actually fall back into the formation, and another one takes its place. The V formation, scientists have determined, allows them to have 71% more effectiveness versus flying on their own. That’s very significant when you think about the teamwork.

Then, when you think about what they actually do in terms of migrating, often they fly super high in the air and sometimes 1500 miles in a given day. So it’s essential that they work as a team, creating a draft or a wake that they can take advantage of to be able to accomplish this.

So think about what you’re trying to do this coming year in creating an intentional wake. We want to fly high. We want to fly far in 2024, so let’s be intentional about creating a wake that benefits others to have that positive influence on everyone around us, and you’ll see amazing teamwork within your organization.

This is Steve Van Valin with Culturology.