Tuesday 19 April 2016

The Flight of Harmony for Motivated Organizations


The Flight Of Harmony For Motivated Organizations

In nature, when birds have to fly to a warmer climate to escape bitterly cold weather, they flock together and start their journey as a group. The success of the journey depends on the group: if an individual bird does not join the group, it cannot reach the destination on its own.

When geese fly together, each goose provides additional lift and reduces air resistance for the goose flying behind it.  Consequently, by flying together in a v-formation, scientists estimate that the whole flock can fly about 70% farther with the same amount of energy than if each goose flew alone.  Geese have discovered that they can reach their destination more quickly and with less energy expended when they fly together in formation. When people work together harmoniously on teams, sharing common values and a common destination, they all arrive at the destination quicker and easier, because they are lifted up by the energy and enthusiasm of one another.

Individual Viz Part of the whole

These birds fly in a particular formation of 'V' shape, with an appropriate space between them as they fly. If they fly too close to each other, their wings get entangled; they lose their balance and fall. If they remain too far from each other, the formation cannot be created properly, and they are not able to ride the currents of air, which help to propel them in their flight. Furthermore, the leader of the formation does not remain the leader throughout the whole flight, but moves back and allows another to take its place. This repositioning continues throughout the flight until the destination is reached, allowing individual birds to contribute to the success of the journey.

The reality of life is that we are individuals within a collective whole. Just like the birds, we are all a part of an unlimited Flight of Harmony.

Just as there are two faces to one coin; a leader who wishes to have a successful team  understands the  freedom  and space needed for the existence of each member's unique individuality , as well as the closeness and set boundaries needed for the existence of the group or collective organization. One cannot exist without the other. 

How to achieve the perfect balance in Individual Space Viz Part of the whole?

Organizations which have people who have almost met the bottom four of the "Hierarchy of Needs" in the maslow's motivation theory, may well choose to develop a culture that leads their associate  employees to meet their top most need i.e. "Self-Actualization" and motivate their employees to  develop spiritually towards self-actualization (the top most 'need' in the maslow's theory of motivation ).

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
 Benefits to the organizations having individuals who are developing spiritually are obvious from the following reasons:
1.       They feel a personal sense of value.
2.       They clearly recognize their uniqueness and have the feeling that there is the freedom to be whatever they choose to be.
3.       At the same time, their sense of personal independence allows them to come close to others and work with them.
4.       They do not have selfish independence. They get close to others because they have found fulfilment in their own self.

Someone who has truly found the value of the self above and beyond labels, name, fame and approval can effectively cooperate within the collective or group and interact appropriately. Such people not only feel themselves to be a part of the whole but, even more importantly, the group or collective feels them to be a part of the whole.