You're probably aware that birds often fly in a V formation, a flock of birds that flies together resembling a V. A really cool aspect of flying in this way is that, as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately behind it. By flying in a V formation, scientists estimate that a flock of twenty-five birds can fly as much as 70% further than a solo bird using the same amount of energy.

That's a great model of synergy - the ability to accomplish more together than apart.

As they fly, the geese in the back actually honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed and momentum. This is why you often hear geese make that loud honking sound when flying overhead. If the geese stop encouraging those in front of them, they will begin flying slower and lower. But by continuing to support, they model the power of encouragement and affirmation, and the overall performance of their flying is much stronger.

Everyone performs better with cheerleaders around them.

Those who cheer us on help multiply our potential and extend our reach.

Can you even picture a football game without cheerleaders? And I don't mean to visually picture the scene, but close your eyes and think about the noise of a football game: the fans yelling, the band playing, the referees blowing whistles. It's difficult to remove cheerleader support and encouragement from that picture.

Next time you're at a football game—or really any sporting event that has cheerleaders on the sideline—recognize this impact and notice its effect on the game. You might be surprised!