Lead Like a Duck

Ducks are cool.

I love watching ducks. There are few things that I find more relaxing than watching ducks on a pond. Nothing seems to bother them. They are calm, cool, and collected. Noise doesn’t faze them. Rain doesn’t disrupt them. Being watched doesn’t change them.

Ducks seem to have an attitude that says, “Oh…you’re watching me? Of course you’re watching me. Why wouldn’t you watch me? I am aware you want to be like me. That’s cool. Watch and learn.”

I am amazed by how still ducks are above the water while they are paddling hard beneath the surface. Above the water, ducks appear to be perfectly at peace with their surroundings, and it looks like they magically glide across the water. Their movements appear effortless and graceful. Beneath the water, their little legs and webbed feet churn with intensity and purpose. Ducks are working hard, but they don’t need me to know this.

I want to lead like a duck…steady, calm, and present while simultaneously deliberate, focused, and diligent. There is no panic in a duck. No frenzied activity. No stress. Ducks do their work below the surface. The same is true for a great leader. Great leaders are disciplined, self-aware, and do most of their work beneath the surface. They instill confidence because they work hard to create movement without causing chaos and massive disruption.

People who lead like ducks are a joy to follow. They are typically confident, secure, and humble. They don’t have an axe to grind or anything to prove. They are focused but aware, vigilant but peaceful, and aways moving but steady.

I also love watching a mamma duck lead her ducklings. She walks in front at a proper pace with her head up and a quiet confidence. The ducklings fall in line behind her and walk like she walks. The mamma duck occasionally looks back to inspect her ducklings, but she mostly keeps her gaze on what’s ahead. The ducklings follow because their mother keeps them safe. She communicates with her ducklings with quiet quacks, and they respond with little peeps to let her know they are still in line. The duck procession is a thing of leadership beauty. A mamma duck crossing a road has the power to stop traffic and have time stand still. Bystanders rarely mind waiting, because they know that the mamma duck is going to get her ducklings across the road efficiently.

Good leadership is never about bluster and ego. Good leaders don’t need to scream to make a point, threaten to get people in line, or go at a pace nobody else can follow. There is a good chance that you are leading someone…a child, a friend, a coworker, a team, a group, a family, or an organization.

Whenever you lead, lead like a duck.

Don’t lead like a goose. Geese are silly. (Silly goose…see what I did there?) In my experience, geese are kind of mean birds. They have an attitude…a chip on their shoulder, like they have something to prove. They are loud and leave their droppings everywhere. People who lead like geese are typically insecure and trying to leverage leadership for personal gain.

Don’t lead like a swan. Swans may be worse than geese. They come across as arrogant, distant, and like they believe they are gracing others with their presence. Swans are unapproachable and elitist. People who lead like swans are typically arrogant and out of touch.

Oh…one more…don’t lead like a hummingbird. Hummingbirds are awesome, but I can only watch a hummingbird for about a minute. Anything beyond that and I am exhausted. There is just too much movement. They never sit still and they come across as frantic. Very few people have the energy required to follow a hummingbird.

Ducks are definitely the way to go. Lead like a duck.