The Five Frequencies: Harmonizing Business Frequencies and Natural Cycles

Recurring meetings are happening everywhere. In your business scheduling the right cadence for various meetings can be the difference between scalable success and boredom / burnout. So what is the right frequency for each type of meeting? The right cadence of Strategic Business Reviews and Tactical reviews, planning plays a pivotal role in shaping success. If you have ever questioned how often you should be scheduling certain meetings, you can turn to natrual cycles to help guide you. The frequencies of Annual, Quarterly, Monthly, Weekly, and Daily cycles form the heartbeat of strategic management. Surprisingly, these business frequencies find resonance with the natural laws that govern our universe, creating a harmonious alignment between good business practices and the fundamental rhythms of the cosmos.

The Annual Review: A Celestial Orbit and Strategic Reflection

The annual business review, akin to the Earth’s orbit around the sun, symbolizes a journey through time and space. As our planet completes a revolution around the sun, it experiences diverse seasons — spring, summer, fall, and winter. This cyclical journey mirrors the ebb and flow of business, marked by growth, maturity, challenges, and renewal.

The connection to the Earth’s annual orbit is profound. It serves as a reminder that, just as the seasons change, businesses too undergo different phases. The strategic reflections and goal-setting during an annual review align with the cosmic dance of our planet, emphasizing the importance of adapting to the changing landscape.

Questions to ask as part of Annual Planning Process:

1. What are our strategic goals/ objectives? (This can take the form of reviewing the Mission, Vision, Values and or specific strategic goals)
2. Where are we at now? (Did we achieve it? Create a diagnosis of your current situation vs your desired state).
3. What do we want more of? (Review our successes/wins, Strengths)
4. What do we want less of? (Review lessons learned, mistakes, failed initiatives)
5. What do we want to BE or Become in the next 12 months? (ie, Strategic Goals such as Be Successful Financially, Have Happy Customers, Deliver Excellent Business Processes, Innovate: capture the future opportunity, Culture: have a great place to work).
6. How will we define success in the coming year? For each Metric, what are the targets that will define success. If you choose revenue or Cost of Poor Quality as your metric, be sure to set specific numerical targets.
7. What key projects need to be delivered for the Goals and Metrics to be realized?
8. Who is responsible? Assign accountability for all of the items.

Quarterly Reviews & The 4 Seasons

The quarterly review corresponds to the changing seasons; Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn. The quarterly review, a reflection of the Earth’s four distinct seasons, allows businesses to synchronize their goals with the cyclical nature of growth and renewal. Each season — winter, spring, summer, and fall — holds specific natural goals, offering a metaphorical framework for strategic planning.

Winter: Reflection and Renewal

Winter, with its cold embrace, symbolizes a period of reflection and renewal in the natural world. Similarly, the first quarter of the business year is a time for organizations to introspect, assess the impact of past strategies, and recalibrate goals for the year ahead. It’s a season for pruning, shedding what is no longer necessary, and preparing for the bloom of spring.

Spring: Germination and Growth

As nature awakens in spring, businesses strive to achieve germination and growth. The second quarter is the time to sow the seeds planted during the winter reflection. Goals shift toward implementing strategic initiatives, fostering innovation, and nurturing the conditions for growth. Like the blossoming flowers and vibrant greenery, organizations aim to see their efforts come to fruition.

Summer: Flourishing and Expansion

Summer represents the zenith of vitality in nature, and in business, it’s a season of flourishing and expansion. The third quarter is marked by the pursuit of established goals, scaling operations, and maximizing productivity. Businesses seek to bask in the success of their endeavors, much like the abundance seen in the natural world during the peak of summer.

Autumn/Fall: Harvest and Reflection

As leaves change color and fall, autumn signals a time of harvest and reflection in nature. In the business world, the fourth quarter is dedicated to reaping the rewards of earlier efforts. It’s a season for evaluating achievements, conducting performance reviews, and preparing for the coming winter of reflection. Autumn invites organizations to gather the fruits of their labor and lay the groundwork for the next cycle.

This quarterly alignment with the seasons provides a metaphorical roadmap for businesses, emphasizing the cyclical nature of growth and the importance of adapting goals to the changing business landscape. Just as nature follows a pattern of dormancy, growth, peak, and harvest, organizations can find inspiration in the natural goals embedded in each quarter, fostering a deeper connection with the ebb and flow of the business environment.

Questions for a Quarterly Strategy Review

1. What are our Strategic Goals? (Review & restate the Current Situation Diagnosis.)
2. Performance: How are we doing on each of our Metrics and Strategic Projects? (Are we ahead or behind our targets. Do we have corrective actions/responses for metrics that are missing?)
3. What has changed? (What new or existing challenges are we facing?)
4. Do we need to make any adjustments to the Plan? (strategic goals, metrics/targets, projects or people based on recent events)
5. Do we feel confident committing to this plan going forward? (Be sure the answer is YES, before finishing the review)

Monthly Review: Lunar Cycles and Incremental Progress

The monthly review draws inspiration from the lunar cycle, lasting approximately 29.5 days. This cycle embodies the essence of incremental progress, with each phase representing a unique stage in the journey. The waxing moon signifies planning and initiation, the full moon represents achievement and culmination, and the waning moon invites reflection and refinement.

Business, too, follows a pattern of continuous improvement. Monthly reviews provide a regular cadence for evaluating performance, adjusting strategies, and ensuring that the organization is moving steadily toward its goals. This synchronization with the lunar cycle encourages a balanced approach, where short-term gains contribute to long-term success.

Questions for a Monthly Business Review:

1. What are our Strategic Goals? (Review & restate the Current Situation Diagnosis.)
2. Performance: How are we doing on each of our Metrics and Strategic Projects? (Are we ahead or behind our targets. Do we have corrective actions/responses for metrics that are missing?)
3. What has changed? (What new or existing challenges are we facing?)
4. Do we need to make any adjustments to the Plan? (Do we need to initiate any corrective actions for metrics that are below targets.
5. Do we feel confident committing to this plan going forward? (Be sure the answer is YES, before finishing the review)

Weekly Review: Planetary Rotation and Tactical Adjustment

The weekly review aligns with the Earth’s rotation, marking the passage of time in a continuous rhythm of day and night. The seven-day week, a cultural and historical construct deeply rooted in various traditions, reflects the need for regular reflection and adjustment. It mirrors the natural rotation of the planet and emphasizes the importance of staying grounded in the face of constant change.

Just as the Earth’s rotation influences the daily cycle of light and dark, the weekly review allows businesses to make swift course corrections. It acknowledges the need for tactical adjustments in response to the daily challenges and opportunities that arise. This alignment with planetary movements emphasizes the importance of balance and adaptability in the face of a dynamic business environment.

Questions for a Weekly Business Review

1. How are we doing against our Metrics & Targets? (Are we ahead or behinds our targets).
2. What problems are we facing? (For Metrics that are below targets, what are the reasons/ root causes).
3. What resources do we have that can help solve these problems/issues? (Do we need to make any assignments?)
4. What do we need to know? (What Important (non-urgent) issues were surfaced this week?)
5. What do we need to share? (Does our department have any information that should be shared with other departments to help us or them?)

Daily Review: Solar Cycle and Real-Time Responsiveness

The daily review finds its counterpart in the solar cycle, where the sun rises and sets, marking the beginning and end of each day. The daily rhythm of work and rest is deeply ingrained in human biology and is reflected in the cultural construct of a 24-hour day. It aligns with the natural ebb and flow of energy and productivity.

Businesses, like the Earth’s daily rotation, operate in a continuous cycle of activity and repose. The daily review allows for real-time responsiveness, ensuring that actions align with broader strategic objectives. It emphasizes the importance of daily renewal, reflection, and planning, acknowledging that success is built upon the cumulative effect of consistent daily efforts.

The Cosmic Symphony: A Blueprint for Organizational Resilience

The alignment of business frequencies with natural laws is not a mere coincidence but a strategic acknowledgment of the cosmic symphony that governs our universe. By recognizing and integrating these natural rhythms into organizational practices, businesses can enhance their resilience, adaptability, and overall effectiveness.

The Earth’s annual orbit, quarterly changing of seasons, monthly lunar cycle, weekly rotation, and daily solar cycle collectively provide a blueprint for organizational success. This cosmic alignment encourages a holistic approach to business management, where long-term strategic goals harmonize with short-term tactical adjustments.

Questions for Daily Huddle/ Standup / Daily Planning

1. What did you do yesterday?
2. What are you doing today?
3. Do you have any blockers/impedements?

In conclusion, the connection between good business practices and natural laws is not only poetic but strategic. It speaks to the profound understanding that, just as the universe operates in a rhythmic dance, businesses too must find their cadence. By aligning with the annual, quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily frequencies, organizations can tap into the timeless wisdom of the cosmos, navigating the complexities of the business landscape with grace, purpose, and enduring success.