The 4 Seasons of Leadership Every Leader Will Experience

My car seat is cold. Pumpkins are everywhere (my dog saw one the other day and thought it was about to attack). And Home Depot has their Christmas decorations out! The seasons are changing – summer is gone, fall is here, and winter is quickly nearing. Over the past 35 years of leading and coaching other leaders, I have observed that, similar to the seasons of weather, leaders also go through seasons. Here are the four seasons of leadership that every leader will experience.

Summer

Friends, barbeques, corn hole, and the beach. Just like the summer season in life, this is the leadership season where everything feels like it is going great. When you are in the leadership season of summer, you often feel excitement, energy, and even somewhat invincible. During summer, it is hard to even imagine that as a leader, you will one day have to contend with the cold, dark, lonely days of winter. I can recall specific seasons of my leadership life that were summer – everything was going perfect. All lights were green. Relationships were strong. And organizational growth felt limitless. That is what summer feels like! It is so exciting, and yet not even close to realistic to think it will stay that way forever.

Characteristics of leaders in the season of summer: High adrenaline, organizational growth, consistent success, and feeling invincible.

Fall

For as much as we cannot wait for summer, we always look forward to the change into fall. Brutal heat is gone. The colors are great. No more watering gardens. And goodbye lawn mower. Just like in nature, fall is a great time to prepare for the eventual return of winter in leadership. During fall, there are fewer hurricanes, snowstorms, and ice (except for California where brutal fires never seem to be out of season). In this season, leaders often feel both anticipation and enjoyment. While not as exhilarating as summer, fall is a time of anticipation for the holidays, football, and a warm fire. Leaders seldom succeed in the long run if all they experience is the adrenaline of summer or the darkness of winter. Fall is a time of steadiness and stability. I was recently talking with a leader who had over 35 years of business success in senior-level positions of large corporations. He was still very motivated, but his focus had transitioned from his professional advancement to helping others grow and advance. In other words, he was motivated and content. That is what fall often feels like.

Characteristics of leaders in the season of fall: Personal contentment, steadiness and consistency, and a sense of peace.

Winter

During winter, everything appears dead. After a few months of ice, snow, wind, and darkness, it’s easy to be tricked into thinking that nothing is left. It’s silent and lifeless. But it isn’t. While some things go dormant, there is life below the surface of it all. The same is true for leaders. You may feel depressed, beat down, uncertain, and lack confidence and new ideas. But winter can play a vital role in the growth of leaders. It humbles us (we really do need that sometimes), and it reminds us of our limitations and dependency. I was in a meeting with a leader who had been knocked down hard over the past few years. In contrast to summer, nothing was going right, life felt dark and confidence was low. He was in winter, and it was a lonely place to be.

Characteristics of leaders in the season of winter: Doubt and uncertainty, loss of confidence, nagging sense of fear, and low motivation.

Spring

Spring is a season of renewal and growth. Just as we don’t go directly from winter to summer in our natural seasons, we seldom do so in our leadership seasons. After a winter season of leadership, spring is a much needed and welcomed gift. It is during this season that a leader will begin to experience renewed hope, personal and professional growth, and the return of both vision and confidence. I recently talked with a young leader who was just coming out of a very hard time in life. After the breakup of a difficult relationship, she was looking ahead to a better season of life. She was coming out of winter and very much looking forward to the refreshing air of summer to once again return.

Characteristics of leaders in the season of spring: Personal learning, experimentation, planning and preparation, and a sense of anticipation.

Regardless of which season you are in right now, you would be wise to acknowledge it and even embrace it. You will go through many seasons of leadership many times in your life. And in contrast to our weather, you may skip seasons altogether and, for example, go right from summer to winter. There is a lot to learn about yourself and a lot to learn from others during every season. But you do not want to stay stuck in any one season for too long – seasons are not supposed to be permanent.

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Jay Desko is the CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.