Description: Every team goes through phases of maturity, each vital to its growth. Learn how to guide your team through its transformations and unlock its full creative potential at every stage.

Reading time: 2 min

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned from working with creative teams is that no group reaches its full potential immediately. Every team goes through phases of maturity, and each stage plays a clear role in its evolution.

At first, everything seems simple: members aim to please, there’s surface-level harmony, and few disagreements. This initial phase can be deceiving because it creates the illusion that everything is working perfectly. However, it’s only the starting point. Conflicts, doubts, and tensions will inevitably arise, and while they might feel like setbacks, they’re actually steps toward something deeper.

What determines a team’s success isn’t avoiding these stages but how they navigate them. Do they have the tools to engage in dialogue? Are they willing to redefine roles, norms, and goals? In my experience, the most successful teams are those that understand evolution isn’t linear. They embrace the discomfort of change and use it as fuel for growth.

It’s not about speeding up the process or skipping steps but about being present in each phase. Every stage is an opportunity to learn—about the group, about oneself, and about building something authentic together.

Leading a team doesn’t mean rushing it to the finish line. It means guiding it through the journey with patience and clarity. Because in that journey, in those transformative phases, is where the true creative potential is found.

Quick Exercise:

Create a visual timeline of your team’s journey so far:

1. Draw a timeline and mark key moments (team formation, major changes, conflicts, achievements).

2. Identify the phase your team is currently in. How has the dynamic evolved since the beginning?

3. Share your drawing with a teammate and ask for their perspective. Do they see the same patterns?

This exercise will help you visualize your team’s evolution and uncover opportunities for growth.