SEASONS Archives - Wheeler Coaching Systems

I was listening to one of my mentors, Mark Cole who is the CEO of all of John Maxwell’s companies through The John Maxwell Team and he was describing something I had not thought of before: seasons.

Many of us strive for balance in our lives, but it seems to allude us. Maybe the answer is because we cannot ever accomplish that. When I heard Mark suggest that idea I was both discouraged and freed. I have a wife and three children. As the dad I do not feel the same tension as my wife who some days must feel like someone is pulling at every limb on her body between three boys saying “mom” and the fourth saying “honey” and all of us following it with a need based question. As a man I feel the tension of providing, being a good husband, being a good father, leading well in every area and more. I want balance, but after listening to Mark I think I need to re-frame my thinking.

When we had three children under the age of five my wife and I were in a physically exhausting season trying to meet our needs and the needs of our children. We are rapidly entering a season of mental exhaustion as our children approach and enter the teenage years. If you have or have had a teenager you know this tension quite well. As leaders at work and home we have seasons that can be compared to the four seasons many of us may experience.

Winter – This is the time in leadership where we are trying to get clarity of what we are trying to accomplish. This time may be very slow from a business building standpoint because we don’t know where to start. We may feel mildly depressed and frustrated because we don’t know where to go. This is the time of planning and preparing because Spring is on the way.
Spring – This is a very busy time. Think of the farmer, during this time they continually plant seeds. They are not seeing any results, but they have the plan from the winter and now are hard at work helping others understand and spread the seeds of the plan often with long hours of hard work. As leaders this is a time of growing relationships, gaining momentum, and sharing the vision like a farmer spreading seed. This time is exciting, yet exhausting, but Summer is coming.
Summer – I live in Indiana and occasionally up toward Chicago. In the summertime during July and August all I see around me are cornstalks. As a leader the work in summer changes because now is the time to do the reaping work from the seeds that have birthed fruit. This is when you are delivering your services, managing the staff, spending time developing people and implementing the plans necessary to fulfill the vision you have for work and home.
Fall – In the Midwest this is a beautiful time as the leaves change color and it paints the landscape. As a leader this is the time where you see the vision come to fruition. You are seeing the material and immaterial benefits of all the thinking and work you did during the other seasons.

BUT

Winter is coming so embrace it, accept it and continue to lead well in each season.

What season are you in? Are you striving for perfect balance which happens only momentarily or do you need to see the season you are in, embrace it and determine how to lead well at work and home in this season? When you decide the season you are in, what adjustments do you need to make so that you can lead well both at work and home? Lead well friend.