Leadership in the Slow Season: What You Do Next Reveals Everything
Written by: Suzanne Wedeven
When I first entered this industry, I was inexperienced, eager, unsure, and surrounded by owners, technicians, and service managers who had been doing the work far longer than I had. I recall a conversation with a mentor that has stayed with me ever since. I was venting about a tough week: slow calls, a bad hire, a training that didn’t land. He listened quietly, then said:
“What’s important is what you’re going to do about it, because that reveals your character.”
At the time, I didn’t fully understand the weight of that statement. But now, years later, I see it clearly. That one sentence has become a compass for how I lead, especially in the hard seasons.
Right now, many of us are in one of those seasons. Phones are quieter. Recruiting feels like a revolving door. Training takes more effort than it seems to return. And reviews? We are earning them – but not capitalizing on them! But here’s the truth: What we build in the struggle will outlast the struggle.
This is where leadership matters most, not when everything is running smoothly, but when it’s not. When we show up anyway. When we keep investing in staff. When we keep holding the line on standards. When we keep believing in the mission, even when the momentum isn’t there. If you’re a service manager or owner feeling the weight of this season, I want to encourage you:
· Don’t pull back. Don’t coast. Don’t wait for things to “pick up”.
· Lead now.
· Coach now.
· Build now.
Because what you do next, how you respond to the pressure, the quiet, the uncertainty, that’s what your team will remember. That’s what shapes your culture. That’s what reveals your character. And that’s what will carry you through.
If you are feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or need to discuss your next steps, please reach out. You don’t have to figure it all out alone. Our team is here to support you, brainstorm with you, and walk with you through the hard seasons because what you do next reveals everything!
Want to Chat?
Give me a call at 706-309-1978.