French collective life is organized around predictable cycles with known rhythms, and effective planning means aligning with these cycles. Budget planning happens at specific times; academic activities follow the school year; cultural launches occur around la rentrée; August is a collective pause. Proposing initiatives outside appropriate cycles creates friction—people will tell you ce n’est pas le moment (this is not the moment). Understanding the cycles enables you to time initiatives appropriately, anticipate when decisions will be made, and avoid periods when progress is impossible.
Each cycle also has evaluation moments: ends of budget years, ends of school terms, ends of project phases. Plan your work so that results are demonstrable at these evaluation points.
If you ignore cycles, you will constantly face unexpected resistance. If you understand them, you can plan your efforts to catch favorable moments and avoid unfavorable ones. French planning is rhythmic—learn the rhythms.
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