Spring Leadership Check: Are You Growing or Just Going Through the Motions?

Spring is a season of renewal—a time when nature reminds us that growth is not just possible, but inevitable. Trees that once stood bare now bud with fresh life, flowers push through the thawed ground, and the world around us transforms. Yet, in leadership, growth is not automatic

There’s a stark difference between having 10 years of experience as a leader and repeating the same experience 10 times. One leads to wisdom, adaptability, and forward progress. The other results in stagnation, frustration, and missed opportunities.

At Aqua-Tots, our five Central Texas year-round swim schools feel this challenge acutely. Every February and March, the financial cycle tightens as cash flow gets strained while enrollment dips, waiting for the warmth of spring and summer to bring back full rosters. This is not new; it happens every year. And yet, how we approach it as leaders makes all the difference. Do we adequately plan, and use these months strategically? Or do we simply brace for impact, repeating the same pattern year after year?

Leadership and the Illusion of Experience

Many leaders claim to have 10 years of experience, but when you look closely, they’ve simply repeated the same year over and over. They’ve encountered the same problems, reacted in the same ways, and learned little along the way. This cycle of repetition doesn’t build true experience—it merely reinforces old habits.

Real leadership experience means growth. It means seeing familiar challenges with fresh eyes, adapting strategies, and refining execution. It means embracing the unpredictability of business cycles, employee dynamics, and customer behaviors, and leading with wisdom rather than just endurance.

The February-March Challenge: A Test of Leadership Growth

In our swim schools, February and March are known challenges. The temptation might be to grit our teeth and wait for the inevitable upswing of enrollment in warmer months. But great leaders don’t just “get through” the tough seasons—they learn from them and use them.

• Planning: June through September are our strongest months. Having been through this cycle many times, how do we make sure these months are used to financially prepare for the coming spring, when we know things will be tight?
• Sharpening Strategy: Instead of waiting for enrollment to rise, leaders can evaluate marketing strategies, refine customer outreach, and prepare innovative promotions. How can we position ourselves now to maximize spring and summer enrollments?
• Developing Talent: The slow months are an opportunity to train and develop staff. While paying for training and on-boarding in the very months our cash flow lags is a challenge, investing in our people during the off-season creates stronger, more confident teams when peak season arrives.
• Strengthening Customer Relationships: Because our teams have a slower rhythm, I share with them regularly that now is the time to engage with families who have paused lessons. A personalized email, a phone call, or a creative re-engagement campaign can bring them back before the rush.

These months are a leadership test: do we repeat the same reaction from last year, or do we learn, grow, and lead differently?

Leadership Growth: Seeing Challenges as Opportunities

Leadership experience isn’t just measured in years but in depth. Have we learned from past seasons, or are we merely surviving them?

Spring reminds us that growth is natural, but it requires the right conditions. Trees don’t simply wake up one morning covered in leaves; they prepare, drawing nutrients from their roots all winter long. Leaders must do the same.

Fellow leader: this season, let’s commit to real leadership experience—not just time served, but time well spent. Let’s approach recurring challenges with fresh thinking. Let’s grow, evolve, and lead in a way that ensures we’re not just enduring another year, but making it count.

What fresh strategies are you implementing to grow as a leader this season?