Geese, Systems and Change That Sticks

I captured this moment during my morning walk—a line of geese confidently using the crosswalk to get across the street.

Of course, they didn't realize they were walking on a crosswalk designed for humans. Research shows that Canada geese naturally choose clear, open pathways with good visibility when moving between areas, and urban geese have adapted to navigate around vehicle traffic by selecting safer routes.

The crosswalk simply provided exactly what geese instinctively seek: an unobstructed path with clear sight lines in both directions.

This delightful coincidence made me think about how the best systems work so intuitively that they serve purposes beyond their original design—much like how developing analytical talent as change champions serves broader organizational needs in ways that traditional change management never anticipates.