A buddy of mine is looking for a new job, and he has started poking around the site of EM&I. He came across this presentation that had this quote in it:
“Geese honk from behind to encourage their leader. When the lead goose gets tired, a goose from the flock flies forward and assumes the leadership position. If a wounded goose goes down, two geese follow it and stay with it until it gets better or dies. The flock changes as the work changes. Geese fly in a "V." They land in waves and they feed in groups of four.”
–From "People Factor" September 2003 Edition
I never thought of it that way, but that is an interesting take on leadership. A leader needs encouraged. People pick up slack as others get tired or things change. There is a caring for those involved in the team.