Rhythm is an important aspect of time and timing, when it comes to strategy.
In the recent years, I’ve noticed that taking into account the four seasons of the year helps with a certain type of progress in various contexts.
A season is a period of the year that is distinguished by special climate conditions. The four seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter—follow one another regularly. Each has its own light, temperature, and weather patterns that repeat yearly.
Source: National Geographic
In professional contexts, this insight can be applied both when working in internal or external roles. Here are the patterns that I’ve noticed based on my own experience:
Spring
Energy level: Alive and kickin’
Good for: Launching new things
Main learning modes: Learn by doing, learn with others
Summer
Energy level: Chill
Good for: Connecting the dots
Main learning mode: Learn by yourself
Autumn
Energy level: Alive and kickin’
Good for: Scaling things
Main learning modes: Learn by doing, learn with others
Winter
Energy level: Chill
Good for: Creating new things
Main learning mode: Learn by yourself
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These ideas act for me as guidelines, not as rules.
For example, there might be exceptions when you successfully launch something new in your company or in the market during the summer. Similarly, there might be years when you will need to chill and take it slow during the spring. Or just reflect and connect the dots during autumn and then scale some of your initiatives during the winter.
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As a specific example, in the local Product community we’re running the pro bono mentoring program only 2 times each year. When? Spring and Autumn (alive and kickin’ + learning with others).
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As another personal example, I’ve started writing lots of drafts that I will soon publish on specific newsletters - expect new editions here more often. Why now? Summer (chill + connect the dots).
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Also, in September I’ll start scaling the corporate group mentoring that I’ve piloted earlier this year. Why then? Autumn (alive and kickin’ + scaling things).
The main principle behind the ideas above: for any personal strategy, take into account the energy and attention of the people involved.
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Like in the National Geographic quote, there are “special climate conditions” in the cultures that you’re part of, conditions that influence the energy and attention of people.
We’re talking about personal cultures, couple cultures, family cultures, organizational cultures, national cultures and so on. Culture is a key part of the context and understanding the context is key to most strategies.
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For the philosophy fans reading this, you can think of this insight as a cyclical cultural Hegelian zeitgeist - a recurring “spirit of the times” in specific cultures.
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As a bit of inspiration for noticing your own seasonal patterns, here are some questions for reflection:
Are there certain rhythms during the year for how high or low your energy is?
What about the energy levels of those around you?
When it comes to the initiatives that you lead, even personal ones, are there periods in the year that seem better fit for certain types of initiatives?
What about periods in the year better fit for certain stages of most initiatives?
Have you noticed any rhythms during the year when it comes to how you’re learning on the go?
What about the periods in the year when you feel you aren’t progressing much when it comes to learning?
Enjoy each season,
Bülent
As a strategic adviser and lifelong learner, Bülent Duagi works with Directors in 🇷🇴 Tech companies to help them make more impact with the limited resources they have at hand, by:
🧭 having a clear strategy that enables better and faster decision making;
🤝 organizing better to both run operations and implement strategy with the available bandwidth and budgets;
🚀 implementing strategic initiatives and programs in an efficient and effective manner, paying attention to the people side of change;
⚡️ intentionally developing proper internal capabilities that are sustainable in the long run.