“Leadership Lessons from Nature: What Eagles Can Teach Us About Leading and Growing”

Leadership Lessons from Nature: How Eagles Teach Us to Lead and Inspire

As a teenager in the seventies, I lived at Glacier National Park in Montana, where nature’s beauty was always on display. One of the most awe-inspiring events each year was the Bald Eagle reunion in West Glacier, one of the largest gatherings of its kind. Hundreds of Bald Eagles would converge at McDonald Creek Ox Bow, just a few miles from our house. The shallow bend in the river, where the current slowed, provided the perfect conditions for thousands of Kokanee Salmon to migrate. And the eagles, with their sharp instincts, seized the opportunity to feast.

Eagle Leadership: Seizing the Right Opportunities

I remember watching with awe as these majestic birds soared effortlessly, each one in tune with the right time and place to swoop in. The scene left me with a leadership lesson I often reflect on: “Leaders are like eagles, they don’t flock, you find them one at a time.” While eagles tend to fly solo, they may come together when the timing is right, much like leaders who recognize the right moment to seize an opportunity.

In West Glacier, it wasn’t unusual for over 300 Bald Eagles to gather at the Ox Bow during peak migration. These eagles demonstrated not only power and grace but also an instinctive understanding of how to act with precision. Like the eagles, true leaders recognize the right moments, balancing patience and action. Their leadership isn’t reactive but rooted in a clear vision and purpose. They know when to wait and when to act, always aligned with their greater mission.

True Leadership: Creating Opportunities for Others

But the lesson goes deeper: while the eagles may gather in great numbers, only a few are truly leading. The most experienced eagles, having mastered the currents and timing, become role models for the younger, less experienced birds. These “leaders” in the group aren’t just hunting for themselves—they’re showing the younger eagles how to find the best opportunities. In this way, true leadership isn’t just about seizing opportunities; it’s about creating opportunities for others to rise and grow.

This is where human leadership differs from animal instinct. While eagles and salmon are driven purely by survival instincts, humans have the unique ability to choose to lead, not just survive. Leadership is about vision, purpose, and intentional action. It’s about taking ownership of your path and guiding others to do the same.

How Leadership and Vision Go Hand-in-Hand

The Bible aligns with this leadership mindset. Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Just like the eagle waits for the right moment to strike, diligent leaders and patients will reap the rewards of their planning. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Great leaders know there’s a season for action and a season for patience, and their instincts guide them toward success when the moment arrives.

In the same way that eagles soar alone but come together at the right time, leaders don’t flock. They rise alone, with the wisdom to act when others may not see the opportunity. Leadership is not just about individual success—it’s about creating opportunities for others to rise as well. Like the experienced eagles guiding the younger ones, great leaders nurture and empower others to take the lead when their time comes.

The Power of Leadership: Growing Leaders for Tomorrow

Leadership is not about surviving; it’s about striving, growing, and inspiring others to do the same. True leaders rise above instincts—they lead with purpose, creating a legacy of empowered leaders who will rise to greatness.