Before anything can be planted, there has to be room to plant and an idea of what needs to be grown. In the winter, it is time to culminate the preceding cycle of growth and harvest, repair the fields and equipment, and prepare for the next cycle. This includes planning the next year’s crops and gathering seeds while we live off of the reserves from the fall harvest. Perhaps one of the hardest seasons, especially if not planned for well, the end season is also the stage to make room for new growth. In the business world, the culmination of projects means paying attention to lessons learned and ideas conceived of in the past year (the gathering of seeds) to integrate into the next year’s work.

Before a new project can begin, there must be space for it. If you think of the winter season, it’s a time for clearing fields, planning plots and gathering seeds while living off of the reserves of the preceding year.

During the winter, each kind of thinking has a role:

Winter Roles