Winter is not
my favorite season of the year. I don’t mind the cold so much as
the restrictions it places on outdoor activities. I endure winter
only because I know that eventually spring will force winter to
retreat and nature and baseball will again beckon me outdoors.
Weather, life,
business, economy, virtually everything is defined by cycles.
Humanity’s challenge is to learn these cycles, appreciate their
diverse purposes and perfect the transition from one part of the
cycle to the next.
American
Novelist, Katherine Anne Porter put it this way:
There seems to be a kind of order in
the universe, in the movement of the stars and the turning of
the earth and the changing of the seasons, and even in the cycle
of human life.
Perhaps
understanding business cycles is the most difficult. It is our
paradigm that we must be in control. If we are to control the
functions and outcomes of our businesses, how can we submit to and
appreciate the natural cycles of our businesses?
In nature,
plants grow in darkness and in light. In light, via photosynthesis,
most of the nutrition for the plant is produced. At night, the
nutrients are converted for tissue growth. Water is essential for
plant growth as well, but during times of drought, root structures
reach deeper into the soil in search of moisture bringing greater
stability to the plant and providing new sources of nutrients.
Our businesses
can learn from nature that cycles are critical to lasting health.
External growth in our businesses is important and is easily noticed
by those looking on. But without corresponding depth and internal
growth, a business can collapse under the external weight. We can
all point to companies like Boston Market, Krispy Kreme and scores
of dot.coms as examples of organizations that did not take time to
grow deep in order to support their rapid external growth.
Decades ago,
American business tended to take a longer-term view of success. It
was not uncommon for businesses to invest heavily in their own
enterprise and go years without showing profit. These early
entrepreneurs had their eyes set on building something that would
last. Many of these companies have been thriving since our
grandparents were children.
As this year
draws to a close, perhaps your company is in the part of the
business cycle that sees little external growth. If it isn’t now,
it will be at some point. A typical reaction to this part of the
cycle is to question past choices, reduce spending and take a
circle-the-wagons posture. However, if you see this part of the
cycle as a necessary part of lasting health for your business, it
would be a good time to:
q
Reorganize work
so as to best utilize the unique skill-sets of each employee
q
Energize your
people with training that is so difficult during times of growth
q
Sharpen company
policies to make them more customer-friendly
q
Open up for
suggestions from customers and employees on ways to improve products
and operations
q
Leverage excess
labor capacity to improve process efficiency and product quality
q
Value existing
customers by showing your appreciation in new and personal ways
q
Expect this
part of the cycle to end – prepare for new growth
At the end of
a year we are in a cycle of life that often brings resolutions. So
take some time to assess where in the cycle you are personally and
where your business is. And then, RESOLVE to grow deeper.
Making
resolutions is a cleansing ritual of self-assessment and repentance
that demands personal honesty and, ultimately, reinforces humility.
Breaking them is part of the cycle.
Eric
Zorn, Columnist, Chicago Tribune
Paraclete
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