Remember: Seasons Always Change
There’s a word I use a lot that I don’t think I ever used earlier in my life...Season.
As in, "This is a season of money being tight." Or "I’m in a season of not running very much."
If you think about it, calling something a season is so hopeful. It literally implies that something will change if you give it a little time.
Seasons always change.
Just because money is tight right now doesn’t mean it will be tight from here on out. This season will shift. There’s hope and potential.
Just because I might be in a non-running season doesn’t mean I will never run again. This season, too, will shift.
Summer (the season I love most!) ALWAYS comes around. As does Winter. And Spring and Fall. It’s the inevitable nature of the universe. Sunrises, sunsets, tides, seasons – they all keep reappearing.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MANAGERS
Seasons apply at work too.
That crazy client who pushes your buttons every time? That creative director who has an ego greater than all mankind? That decision you need to make about who to hire / fire / lay off / promote?
It might be easier to get through tough work situations if you picture circumstances like these as part of a season. A season that will shift, will change, and, ultimately, will feel different from the place you are in right now.
It's a bit of a mental trick that you can use to ease stress or anxiety when things get challenging. Picture the cold client winter melting into a sunny spring. See? It helps, right?
There's nothing at work that's permanent, despite how it feels right now. Your mood, your pay, your coworkers, your boss...there's potential for each one of these to change, evolve, shift.
Just because something is right here, right now doesn't mean it's forever.
Just because you made a decision one way or the other, doesn't mean it's forever. Just because you think or believe something is true today, doesn't mean it won't shift later on. Just because you dislike this person or that one, doesn't mean the relationship can't be different.
There is so much hope and optimism in "season thinking". There is also opportunity and potential. Remember, summer always comes.
Consider a few thoughts
1. Where could "season thinking" help shift your outlook on something at work? Is there a current challenge or problem that feels permanent where you can visualize a future shift?
2. It's hopeful to think about a winter transitioning to spring. Less so thinking about a fall turning to winter. What's something at work that feels like a positive, productive summer season that you could start to brainstorm contingency plans for? For example, what is a plan you could make for key employee resignations prior to any of them leaving?
3. Remind yourself that you are learning at work no matter what the season feels like. Make it a goal to track "Things Learned" every month to remind yourself that you are learning and growing despite how things may feel.
About The Author
Wildly addicted to all things leadership, Cecilia Gorman is a veteran of the advertising industry and the owner of Creative Talent Partners, a training consultancy that specializes in manager development.
Whether it’s a team offsite, a manager workshop, or through her Manager Boot Camp program, Cecilia’s mission is to teach, inspire, and motivate people toward their greatest potential.
