At Fishhook, we understand the importance of navigating both the established process and also the flexibility in our creative work. This approach is crucial in our mission to create unique and customized solutions for each church and project we are working on.
As a creative agency that partners with churches, we often deal with a diverse range of perspectives and skill sets when partnering with our clients. We connect with large churches with communication teams who are bigger than our agency, small churches who barely have paid staff, and everywhere in between. Some churches have a high degree of understanding communication strategy and others are just getting started. This requires us to balance our creative processes as an agency with the spontaneity and relational dynamics of our work with all of our clients who are also unique from each other.
We recently hired two new people at Fishhook and as part of our onboarding, we started walking them through some of our processes. During that meeting, another Fishhooker who has been on the team a little longer said, “What is certain about walking through a process with a client, is that it will never be the exact steps we outline.” She is 100% correct! And is so smart to call it out. If we plan for the exact, ideal steps to be carried out for each client, we are setting ourselves up for some disappointment. But, knowing that things inevitably change helps to make a project’s journey manageable.
The Process: Our True North
Our set processes serve as our guidepost, our true north. It's the structured path we follow to achieve specific outcomes. This involves detailed planning, setting clear objectives and following a well-defined path to deliver results.
However, rigidly sticking to this plan without flexibility can lead to frustration and missed opportunities. In creative work, it’s important to be ready to pivot as circumstances change. We consistently learn and adapt in order to help carry out each church partner's vision.
Flexibility: Embracing the Unexpected
Flexibility represents the interdependent, spontaneous and often messy side of creative work. It's about being in sync with our team and clients. Together, we embrace the unexpected and navigate the complexities of human relationships, including experiencing trust, energy, clarity and alignment.
When we're out of sync - confusion, miscommunication and slowed progress occurs. However, with flexibility, creativity thrives and unique ideas come to life.
Balancing the Two: Adaptability
As creatives (and as leaders in general), we must understand the needed duality of the process and flexibility and be able to maneuver between both. It's not just about following a linear path. We must also recognize when we need to adapt to new situations.
When progress stalls, it’s important to pause and reassess. Asking questions like, "Are we on the same page?" or "What concerns do we need to address?" can help realign efforts.
In order to be adaptable, it’s helpful to know and understand your own personality and the personalities of those around you. Some people can adapt easier than others. If you are someone who likes to stick straight to a process and not stray from the path, identify others on your team that don’t fear the unknown. Lean into their creative and non-linear thinking. If you are someone who doesn’t like to stick to a plan but likes to fly by the seat of your pants, identify others who are great at creating and following a plan. If you realize that the process and the flexibility are both necessary, you'll find a happy medium.
Embracing Uncertainty
In our line of work here at Fishhook, we know that certainty is a rarity. Embracing uncertainty and expecting change is key to our success. Our process is a guide, and flexibility allows us to create something truly unique for each client. The only thing that is certain is change.
Our goal is never to “rinse and repeat” the work that we are doing for clients. If we do that, we wouldn’t be bringing customized communications to our clients. Each church has a unique voice they should be sharing. While all churches are similar in that we are pointing people to Jesus, they are all very different from each other and that is ok. That is what makes the local church special.
By understanding and balancing both the process and flexibility, we ensure that our projects are not only successful but also fulfilling and energizing for our team. We want to continue leading with adaptability, creativity and a deep understanding of the dynamic nature of creative work. And we encourage you and your team to do that as well!
