What if leading your team looked less like control and more like sharing your balcony with a family of pigeons?
Every morning, as I journal at my writing desk, I am mesmerised by a flock of pigeons —hundreds of them. From their perch on the electrical wires opposite my home, they swoop and swirl in a synchronized dance, a beautiful display of nature’s magnificence.
A few weeks ago, two of them decided my balcony was prime real estate. I noticed them darting behind a storage box, busy with mysterious comings and goings. Curiosity got the better of me. When they flew off, I peeped.
A pile of straw indicated they were building a nest.
I had a decision to make:
Do I shoo them away? Or let them stay?
Most condo residents would chase them off. Signs all over my neighbourhood scream “Pigeon Removal Services.” A few years ago, my son Shane rescued 2 babies that had been placed in a box on the sidewalk outside a nearby condo building. The rescue sanctuary we took them to told us they see this all the time. Pigeons are unwelcome guests to most condo dwellers. I was warned about the consequences: pigeon poop everywhere, a messy balcony I couldn’t use for weeks, my new patio chairs out of commission, and no space for my beloved indoor plants to catch some summer sun and fresh air.
But I did my research. Eggs hatch in about 18 days. Babies—charmingly called squabs—fly off in about five weeks. I would have to endure 7 weeks of inconvenience in exchange for life continuing its inevitable cycle.
I decided to side with nature.
Soon, the mommy pigeon was sitting on her nest, still and patient. One day, while she was away, I peeped again—two eggs! I marked the date and began the countdown.
I returned from a 2-week trip to Jamaica to find one egg hatched, the other nowhere in sight, but there was a downy little squab stretching under the watchful eyes of mommy and daddy. My balcony was a mess. But life was thriving.
And as I wait for baby to leave the nest, I muse about leadership and the lessons from this pigeon family.
The Leadership Lesson Hidden in Pigeon Poop
Peaceful coexistence sounds easy — until reality hits. It’s the same at work. Everyone wants harmony on their team. But:
- Are they willing to deal with the mess that comes with coexisting with others?
- Are you, as a leader, ready to clean up the “poop” when things go wrong?
- Are you able to identify the options in the situation and willing to make a difficult decision?
- Do you gather the facts before making an informed decision — or do you act on impulse?
- Are you clear on your values and willing to decide based on these values, regardless of the repercussions?
- Can you accept short-term discomfort for a bigger purpose?
Leadership, like nature, comes with trade-offs. It requires patience, values-driven decisions, and the courage to do the right thing even when it’s messy.
When this little squab finally takes flight, I’ll clean up the balcony, sit in my new chairs, and enjoy the sunset. Nothing lasts forever except the joy I feel experiencing the miracle of life and nature right there on my balcony.
My question to you is: What “pigeon poop” are you willing to deal with to create harmony in your team? Share your thoughts in the comments, or write down one leadership value you’ll stick to, even when things get messy.
Because joy in leadership doesn’t come from avoiding the mess. It comes from doing the right thing in the middle of it.
