Looking out a dirty ole’ window…
Points if you know the song (think Clueless, opening number)… it is not a really dirty window, just a catchy song but it happened to be playing when I turned in the office today.
It is that late summer and early fall moment, where flowers are still blooming, sun is still shining but you can see the fall coming in. That slight ting of brown on the edges of the trees. Not only was it just a striking view (yes that is the picture for this blog), it reminded me of the evolution of seasons in the professional sense.
Easing back in, preparing for the Q4 sprint, assessing budgets, determining what will and will not get done this year. Those are all the brown hints on the leaves as you should still be applauding what the first 3/4 of the year accomplished. Too often, we rush to the dramatics and don’t recognize what has been done.
Earlier this week, I sat down with a newer network connection who has rapidly moved into trusted peer category. We just get each other and that is a thing of beauty when you find it. In any case, we sat down to record a chat together focusing on preparing for the end of the year.
The overall focus was the importance of keeping the human aspect of the processes no matter how well technologies can aid, there is value in connecting human interaction and performance. That is where the seasons come in. The emotions of change, the reward of recent accomplishments, the energy management of final executions, the nervous tension on managing tasks - all human.
So, peak out a nearby window and ask yourself what is going on in that picture? What change is about to happen? How is everything preparing for the evolution? See Mother Nature has more lessons to teach us than there is time in a day. Every detail of what I see out my window has been preparing for this evolution. They have a “human” (albeit in plant form) interaction going on, one that cannot be replaced, rushed or yelled at. It is one that takes time and assessment of the elements around.
It is powerful to think in that lens for your own work. What have you been working towards? What elements are around? What inevitable season is coming next? What will be blooming in this next season, what naturally has to die off and what will exist just in a different form? Go ahead, take a look at your professional window.