What "Season" Are You In?

Last weekend I enjoyed a relatively rare opportunity - time on my farm in the dead of winter. As I drove around on my tractor, I saw things I don't usually see during the other seasons. With the leaves gone, I could see the houses across the river...meaning they could also see me. With the underbrush gone I could see the ground and every hump, bump, log, stump, and hole that I would normally run over in the summer. To put itbluntly, my farm was "exposed." I saw good and bad. I saw things that I needed to fix and things that I need to clean-up. Winter was allowing me to see everything. 

The voice inside my head said, "This is an awful lot like business." Each has its own season, or times, when it is exposed. Busy times and fast growth expose inefficient order fulfillment processes and poor customer service. A lack of sales can force businesses to tighten their belts, exposing unnecessary expenses. High turnover and conflict among team members can expose the need for training and planning. Think about it. When is your business "exposed?"