Don’t Show Up Drunk to the Ceremony
Description: Every creative process has different phases, and each phase demands a different mindset. So why do so many teams behave like they’re at the party while others are still at the altar?
Reading time: 3 min
In a wedding, everyone knows the flow. There’s a ceremony, a banquet, and a party. Each part has its own vibe, its own expectations, and its own rules. You don’t cheer wildly during the vows. You don’t solemnly whisper during the dance floor moment. Everyone knows how to behave—because everyone shares the same mental map of the event.
Creative teams? Not always.
In many teams, one person is still clarifying the brief while another is already suggesting final concepts. One is asking basic questions, the other is throwing glitter. The result? Frustration. Misalignment. A process that feels messy—not because the team lacks talent, but because they’re not in the same part of the wedding.
“The problem isn’t the people—it’s the missing shared code.”
Every phase of a creative process (exploring, filtering, concluding…) needs a different kind of energy and behavior. When teams don’t name the phase they’re in or don’t agree on the “vibe,” people start improvising their roles. And when someone thinks it’s dance-floor time while others are still lighting the candles at the altar, confusion takes over.
This is why methodologies matter—not to limit freedom, but to give everyone the same music sheet. It allows each person to show up with the right mindset for the right moment. Less guesswork. More flow.
Exercise: Map the Phase, Set the Mood
(A practical reflection to align energy and expectations)
List your current projects – Everyone on the team writes down the project they’re working on.
Identify the phase – For each one, answer: are we in exploration, alignment, filtering, or finalization?
Describe the vibe – What kind of energy does this phase need? (e.g., open and playful, focused and analytical, calm and reflective…).
Spot misalignment – Is everyone in that project operating from the same phase and energy? Or is someone dancing while others are still setting the table?
Define shared codes – As a group, agree on simple behaviors or rituals for each phase (e.g., “no judging ideas during exploration,” or “document everything during conclusion”).
You don’t need a rigid process—you need a shared understanding. So everyone can be at the same moment of the wedding. And dance when it’s time to dance.
