Insights and inspiration for project professionals

Summertime, and the Living Is Easy

Who doesn’t know this amazing song from Ella Fitzgerald? But what does summertime really mean?

Is it a moment to boost your energy for the final stretch toward the end of 2025? A time to enjoy quality moments with family? Or perhaps a space to read, reflect, and gain fresh ideas — to find inspiration or even answers to challenges you face in work and life?

I’m a great fan of reading books (real, paper books!). The curious thing is that I always seem to read two or three books at the same time. Why? How? Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve always done it. And inside my house, books tend to wander everywhere — except the kitchen. That space is reserved for another passion: getting lost in cooking and baking.

When I started my presidency of the chapter, I was reading Great Leaders Ask Great Questions by John C. Maxwell. From that book, I recognised the powerful reminder that leadership is a call to action.

So, what connects leadership with summertime?

Let me take you through the seasons. We all know that every season has a beginning and an end. They always come in sequence: spring follows winter, and autumn follows summer. There’s no control over the order in which they occur — and that in itself is part of the lesson.

Winter is the season for planning

A season of fresh starts — a time when visions take shape and dreams feel close. Winter invites us to look ahead, set bold goals, and shape new plans. Think of January: a turning point filled with ambition and the promise of growth.

Spring is the season for planting

It’s when winter’s ideas become actions. A time of vibrant effort — gathering seeds, preparing soil, planting with purpose. Energy and perseverance start turning dreams into momentum.

Summer is the season for perspiration

Now comes the hard part: cultivation. Nurturing, watering, and sustaining growth day by day. With patience and consistency, things begin to flourish — though the effort may not always be immediately visible.

Autumn is the season for harvest

For those who’ve followed the rhythm — who planned, planted, and persisted — it’s a time of reaping. But for others, the absence of preparation can lead to regret. The fall reminds us of missed opportunities and work left undone. Still, for those who stayed the course, it brings a sense of accomplishment.

 

The same holds true for the seasons of success. You cannot reap life’s rewards without first planting seeds. Every one of us is responsible for managing the seasons of our own life. There is a time for everything — and a season for every activity under the heavens.

Maybe that’s why some leaders succeed and others struggle: not for lack of determination, but because their efforts are out of sequence. When we act out of sync with the season we’re in, frustration and discouragement often follow.

But I believe strongly that everyone can reap a meaningful harvest, according to their ability — if they understand how to master each of the four seasons.

So, what is the connection between leadership and summertime?

In winter, many people dream of success. Some move forward by learning, growing, and taking action. These are the ones who “plant in spring” by reading books, subscribing to podcasts, or committing to conferences. These actions are seeds.

But too often, that’s where the effort ends. The book remains unread, the podcast unplayed, the ticket unused. The slow, sometimes tedious, yet always productive work of summer never gets done.

True leaders press on. They keep building, nurturing, and connecting — even when results are invisible, even when the work is harder than hoped. They invest in growth, relationships, and team spirit.

Summer is demanding. The days are long, and the to-do list is longer. But successful people understand that growth takes time — and they persist.

So wherever you are in your journey, try to act in harmony with the season you’re in. Give it your best. Don’t worry about immediate outcomes. If you respect the rhythm and commit to the work, the harvest will come.

 

With smiling greetings,

Anja Vandenbergh, PMP
President, PMI Belgium Chapter