Flight of the Buffolo - one of my favorite books.
Reading the book I got the feeling that the author had lived a long time because of the magnitude of experiences he talks about in the book, but it´s common with great scholars and managers like the Fords, Mother Theresa and Einstein´s, they seem to have more hours in the day than the average person. The basic theory of the book is the assumed ignorance of a herd of buffalos following only one leader be it a stampede for sudden death or inactivity. The word flight in connection with buffalo is the comparison of buffalo with flocks of wild geese that naturally alternate the flock leader´s position to reach their goal. I have had numerous encounters with various types and caliber of people in the last three decades as a manager of emergency services, which are based on team operations to reach the ultimate correct outcome. The book is an excellent document to consult, because it describes very well how to use the power of people as teams for success. I recommend that you read the book from cover to cover and it will give samples how you can, by looking at your habits and selfishness, learn to realize and work with your employees as your leaders. It is amazing how well the authors have put together a message that says, if you demand excellence you will be surprised how many times you get it. This book is about the morality of learning focus and customers and accepting your own common sense responsibility, great performances are not easily obtained.
By reading the book you find how great is great for you:
The questions are magnificent.
Q. How can you focus every person on giving the customer what he really wants?
A. Leadership solution:
- Encourage your people to ask customers.
- Set the example by asking some yourself.
Q. Am I learning fast enough?
A. Leadership solution:
-It´s never fast enough.
Can you become the lead goose instead of the lead bull?
A. Leadership solution:
- Obviously it´s not easy and may not be desirable in some of the military branches.
Speaking of cattle and geese, in my personal hunting life herds of beef graze where I hunt, and I have observed behavior like the book is using as an example and is natural with cattle.
Also, in the goose population when hunting, if I shoot the lead goose confusion abounds in the flock, but for a short time only and it is natural.
We never see cattle used in the circus to do tricks, but sometimes geese. This tells us that it is the same with these animals as man, they can be taught to do something but not tasks of various complexit
U.S.A. TO-DAY 12 DEC. ´94
Mr. Bill Lieshman landed his ultra light plane on Saturday 10, December 1994 at the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center in Cat Island, South Carolina, ending a 900 mile odyssey for a flock of geese he led from Ontario, Canada. He gathered Canada geese eggs and taught the hatchlings to follow him on foot, then in his plane. Last year he brought a flock to Virginia. Can we become the lead goose? of leading employees, Yes, I am sure if a goose can be trained Homo Sapiens can, and by reading the Flight of the Buffalo begin to convert from herd mentality to high flying innovation in an atmosphere of quality, customer satisfaction and success.
H. STEFÁNSSON
Fire Chief
