Some people like listening to a bonfire crackle or watch waves lapping on the ocean. I like watching bees. I’ve been known to pull up a lawn chair and sit in front of my bee hives to listen and observe. I could do it all afternoon. Bees fascinate me.
Fall in Wisconsin is a crucial time for a bee. Winter is looming and so is transformation from comfort to adversity. The end of a year brings shorter days and colder temps. Many companies see a turning of the calendar as a time of evaluation, preparation and sometimes change. In business it could mean a busier season or a slowdown depending on the type of products or services offered.
When facing change, we can sit and wait for the worst or we can prepare like bees in their habitat to take on uncertainty head on. The bees seem especially vulnerable and they know it. In early September when the outside temperatures dip to under 55 degrees, the bees start gathering for winter warmth. A misconception about the honey bee is that they hibernate. The bee maintains a warm temperature to keep the colony alive. They accomplish this by creating a cluster around the queen. By shivering and flapping their wings they create warmth to keep the queen around 90 degrees in the middle of the ball.
Bees are prepared for the season. They spend their summer gathering, collecting and building so they can produce honey to live on and a secure hive to keep the cold out. Their instincts kick in and they consume the honey they’ve stored all summer to replenish their energy and survive the cold months.
Only the strong survive right? Being strong is helpful but more important is being adaptable. Those who survive are those who are prepared and best at handling change. From political uncertainty and taxes to holiday hours and vacations, whatever the season means to your business, it probably represents a time of shift. The northern hemisphere points away from the sun and the calendar flips every year. We know it’s coming. Prepare and be ready so you’re in a position to make honey when your time is right.
With snow standing on the hive and winter wind whipping around, I stare at the hive wondering how the girls are doing. If I open the insulation packed box to check, all the heat that the bees have stored would escape. So, the bee life remains a mystery as I wait and trust in their preparation and hope that in the spring I find a healthy hive ready to start the process all over again. Let my team of busy bees help you plan for what’s coming up in your business. It’ll be sweet, I promise.
