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      Winter teaches us about leadership through its quiet strength. Like a snow-covered landscape that transforms gradually, effective leadership often manifests in subtle yet powerful ways.

      It does not have the action or movement of other seasons, but it is powerful nonetheless. The power is subtle with a strategic stillness.

      How do you describe winter and its attributes? Can a leader embody these attributes?

      Winter Leaders Who Changed the World

      • Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Her methodical legal strategy dismantled gender discrimination case by case, like winter frost slowly reshaping the landscape. Her landmark cases – Reed v. Reed (1971) and Weinberger v. Wiesenfeld (1975) – demonstrate how patient persistence drives systemic change. Calmness in the face of stormy weather.
      • Nelson Mandela: During 27 years in prison, he cultivated a leadership philosophy that, like deep roots in winter, grew stronger in darkness. His negotiation strategy for peaceful transition proved that restraint can be more powerful than reaction.
      • Angela Merkel met crises with analytical precision, like winter’s methodical transformation of landscapes. During the 2008 financial crisis and 2015 refugee crisis, her data-driven decisions and steady leadership stabilized not just Germany but the European Union. Her 16-year chancellorship demonstrated how calculated restraint can be more effective than reactive leadership.

      These ‘winter leaders’ are as prolific as their more boisterous peers, aren’t they? In the rush toward visible progress, it’s easy to forget the power of stillness, patience, and restraint.

      A Winter Leadership Framework

      As winter settles across North America, its quiet rhythms offer a blueprint for leadership growth. Let the season’s stillness guide your development as a winter leader.

      Here is my three-step framework that I encourage you to try out:

      1. Deep Root Assessment

      Like trees strengthening their root systems in winter.

      In other words, take stock of your strengths, weaknesses, and growth opportunities. When you conduct a thorough exploration of your professional ecosystem regularly, you will:

      • Map your core competencies against emerging challenges
      • Schedule monthly reflection sessions to identify skill gaps
      • Document specific examples where your leadership style succeeded or failed

      Trees engage in their most crucial underground work in the winter season. Their roots don’t lie dormant. They use their energy to strengthen their anchors and grow new roots for spring.

      This hidden season of self-investment shows the power of reflection. It can sharpen our core strengths and prepare us for future growth.

      2. Cold-Breaking Growth

      In nature, dormant seeds undergo a crucial process called cold stratification.

      Seeds need exposure to cold during frigid months. This breaks their hard shells and prepares them for spring growth. You can’t rush or bypass this process—it’s a necessary period of preparation and transformation.

      Once you’ve assessed your roots, it’s time to embrace the productive discomfort that leads to growth. Here are a few ways this could take shape:

      • Intentionally practice new approaches in familiar situations. It will challenge your leadership “muscle memory.”
      • Partner with three colleagues whose strengths complement your weaknesses. This will expose you to different perspectives and force you to stretch beyond your comfort zone, enhancing your adaptability and problem-solving skills.
      • Set up bi-weekly feedback sessions with direct reports, peers or supervisors. When received openly, constructive criticism can be a powerful catalyst for personal development.
      • Practice one new leadership skill for 30 minutes daily. Remember, growth often feels awkward at first; discomfort is a sign that you’re pushing the boundaries of your current capabilities.

      3. Interconnected Resilience

      Deep beneath winter’s frozen ground, something remarkable occurs.

      Tree root systems weave together through vast fungal networks, often called the “wood wide web.” During cold months, trees struggle to survive alone but flourish when they grow together. They share nutrients and information through these underground connections. Even in winter’s apparent stillness, this invisible community strengthens itself.

      As winter leaders, we can embrace this wisdom of interconnection. Here’s how:

      • Turn your learning into teaching. Host small-group skill shares or start a monthly cross-functional mentoring circle.
      • Schedule regular “walking meetings” or coffee chats with colleagues, especially those outside your immediate circle. This will create time and opportunity for deeper dialogue.
      • Build a “slow networking” practice. After in-person meetings or conferences, check in quarterly with those you have met.
      • Opt for depth over breadth. Focus on a few meaningful connections rather than chasing endless networking opportunities.

      Not every connection needs to produce instant results. Winter leadership is not about dramatic actions. It’s about building lasting, meaningful connections that sustain us through all seasons.

      The Year of Winter Leadership

      The world needs winter leadership more than ever.

      In an era that mistakes volume for value and speed for success, nature’s quietest season offers profound wisdom.

      The path of a winter leader reveals itself gradually and only to those who pay attention. This framework illuminates three essential practices:

      • Root System Assessment: Inspect your foundations and invest in deep self-knowledge.
      • Cold-Breaking Growth: Embrace productive discomfort as a catalyst for transformation.
      • Interconnected Resilience: Build lasting networks that strengthen through sharing.

      As you navigate the challenges ahead, remember to cultivate your roots, embrace discomfort, and nurture meaningful connections.

      Like winter’s quiet work beneath the surface, these practices lay the foundation for sustained leadership growth. #LeadWithTheLight #globalleaders