A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together
Lasting change, like life, needs its own seasons of energy and of rest.
The days are getting longer, bulbs are pushing through (I’m writing this at the end of January), and lambing isn’t far off: all signs of seasons changing. Urban life may distance us from natural rhythms, but they’re still woven into how we live.
Our bodies keep daily circadian rhythms and monthly cycles. We take summer holidays and winter breaks. Many people follow spiritual or religious calendars that shape their year. Even unintentionally we find ourselves tapping fingers in time to music1: humans are built for rhythm.
Science and experience tell us that rhythmic living is good for us. We need the balance of activity and rest; engagement and reflection; feasting and fasting. That’s why practices like mindfulness, retreats, and seasonal wellbeing guides are flourishing. We’ve learned that life can’t be lived at full speed all the time. Without pauses, we risk burnout and the physical and mental health challenges that come with it.
So far, so familiar. But can this idea of rhythm connect with business change?
Businesses already run on rhythms2. There are meeting cadences, monthly reporting cycles, quarterly targets, annual reviews. In some industries, like utilities and rail, there are even five-year cycles. These patterns shape working life: late nights for strategic plans, year-end pushes to clear backlogs, bursts of procurement before budgets close. Busy seasons are always followed by quieter ones.
Therapists often use seasonal framing to explore personal change: autumn as loss or transition, winter as retreat, spring as renewal, summer as flourishing – there are plenty of resources available online3. It’s a powerful lens for individuals but rarely applied in organisational change. Why not? What might it look like if we did?
A few possibilities:
- Introduce change in the right season. Instead of scheduling change in ‘quiet’ times to minimise disruption, we might find adoption works better at times of greater business activity when people are already alert and full of energy.
- Consider wider social seasons. At the time of writing, for example, we’re in a collective recovery from the pandemic. Many people are fatigued, less resilient. That might mean putting more emphasis on psychological safety as a foundation for change.
- Recognise a season after change. People often tread change as a period of activity intensifying as they approach the ‘go live’ moment. But there may be real opportunity in the season that follows: a quieter time of reflection, consolidation, and learning. It’s worth considering the value in planning interventions during this time, to make change adoption thorough and more sustainable.
I’d be interested to hear what others think. Is this a missing aspect in the way we approach change? Or are there already practices out there that pay attention to rhythm and seasonality?
Footnotes:
[1] - nature.com/articles/s41467-020-14888-8
[2] – For example, see:
- objectedge.com/blog/creating-an-operating-rhythm-as-a-leader-in-2021
- realkm.com/2021/05/21/organization-management-rhythm-foreword-and-overview/
- bizshifts-trends.com/role-of-cadence-and-rhythm-in-business-create-cohesion-high-disruptive-competitive-environment/
[3] – For example, see: seasonsofchange.com/seasons-of-change/
