When the landscape goes quiet: leadership in the winter of the year
Here in the UK the trees are beginning to stand bare‑limbed, their leaves released into the wind and onto the ground. Underfoot, the carpet of foliage crunches; above, the sky leans cooler, some days brighter others paler. In the landscape I walk, nature seems exposed, vulnerable, fragile. And yet, the visible stillness is rich with unseen life. The roots dig deep; the soil gathers the energy of the sun’s warmth; the seed lies waiting.
In the same way, leadership sometimes lands in a season of letting‑go, quietness and preparation. It may feel like everything is stripped back, uncertain, even brittle. But what if this is not a sign of weakness, but of wise vulnerability? What if this is wintering in leadership - the fertile pause beneath the visible?
Reflection: Nature’s wintering & our leadership
In nature, the environment does not hustle through winter - it aligns with it. Trees shed their leaves; animals hunker down or migrate; the growth moves inward rather than expanding outward. As Katherine May writes in her wonderful book ‘Wintering’, Pages 78 - 81. Penguin paperback.
‘Life meanders like a path through the woods. We have our seasons when we flourish, and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again….. The starkness of winter can reveal colours that we would otherwise miss…….. Life goes on, abundantly, in winter, and this is where changes are made that usher us into future glories.’
Similarly, leaders often feel the pressure to keep momentum unchanged, even when the season has shifted. But just as the tree that refuses to rest may burn its reserves, so too might a leader who ignores the invitation to slow, reflect, and release.
Vulnerability shows up when we say: “We don’t yet know how this will land.” When we invite our team into the question together instead of delivering the answer alone. When we show our own edges, our human‑ness, rather than a flawless exterior. It is in that space that trust deepens, connection grows, and the roots of future strength are laid.
Invitation: Practices for this month
Here are some reflective and practical invitations for you — whether you are in one‑to‑one coaching, team leadership or organisational work:
Notice the bare branches. Take a walk outside, pause and look at the trees that have let go of their leaves. What do you see? What feels vulnerable? What feels alive beneath the surface?
Hold a “wintering conversation”. In your team or leadership group, ask: What from our past season are we releasing? What needs to rest or be left behind for the year ahead?
Create space for the unseen. In your planning, carve out time not for more action, but for listening: to your own inner sense, to the team’s sense, to what might be emerging under the ground.
Invite vulnerability as strength. Model it: when you speak with your team, share a question you have—not just a directive. Invite dialogue rather than demand.
Recharge your energy. Recognise that the change in season might affect you: less daylight, more need for rest. Practice caring for your energy as you would your team’s.
What’s Growing Beneath: A Reflection for November
What is happening under your ground this November? What roots are you laying? What are you releasing so that you, your team, and your organisation can be ready for what wants to emerge?
This is a time of gentle presence. A time to honour the wisdom in slowing down, in trusting the unseen. A time for quiet preparation, and for showing up just as you are.
What are you noticing?
How are you being with yourself and others?
