Have you ever thought about the relationship between modern leadership and birds flying in formation? In this article posted on The Metro West Daily News, Dr. Sanjiv Chopra of Weston, author of Leadership by Example, talks about the essential qualities of a modern-day leader using the example of birds flying in formation.
The Relationship Between Modern Leadership and Birds in Formation
Exploring the dynamics of leadership, Dr. Sanjiv Chopra cites the shifting roles of birds flying in V-formation, taking turns directing the flock before dropping back to less strenuous positions.
In his new book, “Leadership by Example,’’ the Weston resident observes humans, like migrating birds, can rise beyond their expectations to the demands of leadership.
“Very few of us are leaders all of the time and in everything we do,’’ writes Chopra, professor of medicine and faculty dean of the Department of Continuing Education at Harvard Medical School, “but all of us can become a leader for a certain time, in specific situations.’’
For Chopra, the best leaders inspire by living exemplary lives and encouraging others to “dream big.’’
A graceful writer, he packs his 208-page book with stories about everyday folks like 9-year-old Melissa Poe of Nashville, Tenn., who, inspired by an episode of “Highway to Heaven,’’ started an international environmental organization that has planted more than a million trees in 15 countries. A native of India, Chopra draws from a global pantheon of great leaders throughout history, from Buddha to FDR, from Soren Kierkegaard to Gandhi, to illustrate the power of selflessness and idealism.
The next time you find yourself feeling a loss of energy from flying out in front for too long, we ask you to think about the relationship between modern leadership and birds in formation and then let someone else take the lead for a while.
