Three expressions, three states of availability

In professional life, certain expressions circulate almost automatically. They raise a smile, yet they often say far more than we first assume.

It was during a recent training session that a participant, Christian, mentioned the expression Bergfest. A simple remark, almost in passing, which immediately opened up a reflection on the mental availability of teams — and gave rise to this article.

Comme un lundi
In French, this expression refers to a slow start, scattered energy, sometimes a slight resistance to getting back into rhythm. The mind is present, but not yet fully available.

Bergfest
In German-speaking contexts, Bergfest refers to Wednesday evening, literally “the summit celebration”. The week has reached its peak: the most demanding part is behind us, the path ahead is clearer, and mental load is often more stable.

TGIF – Thank God It’s Friday
Widely used in the English-speaking world, TGIF marks the end of the cycle. Efficiency may still be there, but attention is already shifting elsewhere. The quality of energy changes.

These expressions travel across cultures because they all point to the same reality: mental availability is not constant, neither individually nor collectively.

The quiet mismatch in team management

In many organisations, team management nevertheless remains uniform. The same types of meetings, the same cognitive expectations, the same level of engagement are required, regardless of the moment in the week or the actual state of the collective.

This mismatch is rarely made explicit, yet it produces familiar effects: diffuse fatigue, less clear decisions, unnecessary tensions, or the feeling of “pushing” when a small adjustment would suffice.

The issue is not motivation. It is about real, available capacity, here and now.

What leaders gain by listening to availability

Paying attention to a team’s mental availability does not mean constantly adapting everything. Rather, it means choosing with discernment what is asked — and when:

• Periods of low availability are better suited to structuring tasks, repetitive work or simple coordination.
• Moments of mental stability support analysis, decision-making and sensitive conversations.
• End-of-cycle phases lend themselves to closure, handover, or shorter, more focused formats.

This way of leading relies less on tools than on a quality of managerial presence: observation, listening, and the ability to adjust without rigidity.

Observe, test, adjust

It starts with noticing when the team appears more scattered, more stable, or already in mental transition. From there, small adjustments can be tested in task allocation, the timing of decisions, or the nature of proposed interactions. Over time, these adjustments refine themselves, as their effects become visible in everyday work and in the quality of coordination.

Observing a team’s real rhythms, week after week, is often a simple and powerful lever. Not to optimise every moment, but to work with the available energy rather than against it.