Our team begins every project by sending a questionnaire to every client team member who will be involved in a project. One, this is an incredibly quick way to immerse ourselves into a brand and challenge, but two, it’s also one of the fastest ways to identify any areas of misalignment on a team.

For better or for worse, sometimes it feels like we’re more of a couples counselor than marketers, but c’est la vie. Misalignment happens and, in fact, can actually improve the outcome of a project. In truth, everyone approaches a challenge from their own viewpoint, and therefore, misalignment means that everyone is advocating for what they really need and think is right. It’s a good way to put any solution to the test.

But what happens when team members are misaligned, and you come to an impasse?

We’ve developed a checklist for teams looking for ways to manage different opinions during a creative project. If you follow this approach, your team will be able to make faster decisions and not let politics get in the way of smart business decisions.

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Designate a final decision-maker

Before you put pen to paper, identify who the ultimate and final decision-maker is. This is typically someone with financial decision-making power and also has the influence to veto any decision that’s made. In SMB organizations, this may be the CMO or CEO, but at larger enterprise organizations, it may be the VP or Marketing Director.

Consider how they will be involved in a project and when they want to be brought along. We always recommend dripping information to them throughout a project versus waiting until the very end to avoid any unintentional last-minute feedback or pivots.

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Identify your goals

Begin your project by clearly writing out both your functional and aspirational goals. Functional goals include KPIs or OKRs that must be met to justify the project as a sound business decision, such as increasing website traffic by X% or improving customer engagement by Y%. Aspirational goals, on the other hand, are more visionary—such as making your brand more approachable, enhancing its emotional appeal, or increasing customer trust.

Ensure that these goals are both measurable and fully agreed upon by the key decision-maker. This alignment upfront saves your team from second-guessing itself or having to backtrack midway through the project.

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Define the rules

Think of project planning like setting up the rules of a board game: everyone needs to know how to play, and if any rules are going to be bent or broken, it’s agreed upon beforehand. Establishing "Rules of Engagement" ensures everyone understands how decisions will be made and who has the final say.

If your company or team culture values democratic participation, make it clear how each person’s opinion will be taken into account. If the decision-making process is more hierarchical—where the final decision rests with a single leader—make sure the team understands why they’re involved in the process and how their input contributes to the overall goal. This transparency prevents confusion or resentment later.

Our team uses these simple Rules of Engagement with our clients, shared openly at every kickoff.

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‍Be clear on what you're asking for

There are three key types of feedback that can surface during a project, and it’s essential to clarify what kind of input you’re seeking at each stage. Misunderstanding this can lead to unnecessary frustration and delayed decisions.

• ‍Input into the project: This happens at the beginning, when you’re gathering insights to shape the creative direction. This type of feedback helps ensure that all perspectives and potential roadblocks are considered early on.‍
• Feedback to improve the work: This is the stage where you’re refining an existing concept or creative piece. The goal here is constructive critique to make the work better, not to revisit the original brief or vision.‍
• Final approval: Once the project has moved through refinement, this feedback should be limited to only essential changes—typically involving compliance or alignment with the project’s original goals. At this point, it’s crucial to be clear that the moment for reactive feedback has passed. This prevents endless revisions and keeps the project on track.

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Ongoing engagement

Stakeholder engagement is crucial not only for project success but for team morale. Engaging the right people at the right moments ensures that everyone feels involved and that no critical insights are missed. However, how and when you engage different stakeholders matters just as much as who you engage. Consider these steps to make the most of your stakeholder engagement.‍

• Assign roles: Group stakeholders based on their role in the project. For example, core team member, steering committee, influencer, department ambassador, etc. Defining roles early on will help you determine how often you need to engage each group and what level of involvement they should have.‍
• Ask for input vs. validation: Early on, create moments for team members to share their thoughts and concerns before the creative work begins. This phase allows you to vet goals and ensure that no important perspectives are overlooked. We recommend collecting this input through 1:1 interviews, small group discussions, anonymous surveys, or a combination of all three.‍
• More than "one and done": Don’t just engage the team once and then leave them out. Keep them involved throughout the project, especially at key milestones. Identify moments to share progress updates, so stakeholders stay engaged and feel a sense of ownership. Regular check-ins not only maintain momentum but help generate excitement about the progress being made.‍
• Give them exclusive previews: Before final decisions are shared with the whole team or company, let key influencers and ambassadors preview the work. Getting their buy-in ahead of time ensures a smoother rollout and can help rally the broader team around the final solution.

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Use evaluation criteria

Before any creative work is presented or evaluated, set up clear criteria that will guide decision-making throughout the process. These evaluation criteria act as the yardstick against which all work will be judged.

Start by determining how you will measure success. Does the creative work achieve the project's business objectives? Does it align with the functional goals you set earlier?

Beyond hitting functional targets, does the work resonate emotionally with your audience? Is it distinct and aligned with your brand’s values?

Clear and agreed-upon criteria ensure that feedback remains focused and constructive, reducing the likelihood of subjective debates about personal taste.

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Use a neutral party

If the team hits an impasse or strong opinions are stalling progress, consider bringing n a neutral third party. This is where working with an agency partner can provide immense value.‍

• ‍Leverage your agency or an external expert: A neutral party, like your agency partner or an experienced consultant, brings a fresh perspective. Because they aren’t emotionally tied to internal politics, they can provide unbiased feedback and help the team focus on the project’s core objectives.‍
• The creator shouldn’t defend the work: One key point here—avoid having the creator of the work be the one to defend it. They’re often too close to it, which can make it difficult for them to be objective. Instead, let the neutral party facilitate the discussion and provide feedback based on the goals and criteria set from the start.‍
• Focus on shared goals: A neutral party can help remind the team of the shared goals and bring everyone back to the core purpose of the project, which can defuse tension and bring clarity to the decision-making process.‍

Setting these expectations early on helps manage egos and ensures that team members understand what’s needed from them at each phase of the project.

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‍Let data be the tie-breaker

If your team is still struggling to come to an agreement, or if you’re working with a team that is particularly risk-averse, bringing data into the conversation can help settle debates and move things forward.

Narrow down solutions and try out your top recommendations to objectively understand which is more impactful.  For instance, run A/B tests on different visuals or messaging to see what resonates better with your target audience.

These data-driven decisions ensure that you aren’t relying solely on internal opinions when it comes to final creative choices.

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Don’t try to please everyone

As the saying goes, “if you try to please everyone, you’ll end up pleasing no one.” This is especially true in creative work. The distinctiveness that makes creative ideas stand out often comes from taking risks and making bold choices.

• ‍Beware of compromise: While it’s important to take feedback into account, blending too many directions or trying to incorporate every suggestion can dilute the impact of your final solution. Be mindful of staying true to your original vision and the project's goals. If you over-accommodate, you may lose the core of what made your idea strong in the first place.‍
• Stay focused on your goals: Use your established criteria and goals as your north star. When feedback starts to conflict or pull the project in different directions, return to these foundational elements to assess what aligns with your objectives and what doesn’t. This clarity helps you filter through the noise and stick to decisions that support the bigger picture.‍
• Accept that some opinions will be left out: Not every piece of feedback can—or should—be incorporated into the final solution. It’s okay to say no or explain why certain suggestions won’t work in the context of the project. Remember, the goal isn’t to make everyone happy; it’s to deliver a creative solution that meets the agreed-upon goals and serves the overall vision.

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Conclusion: Turning Misalignment into a Competitive Advantage

Misalignment doesn’t have to be a barrier to success. In fact, it can be your greatest asset if you know how to manage it. Creative tension, when handled thoughtfully, has the potential to push your team toward innovative solutions and more thoroughly tested ideas.

By establishing a clear decision-making process upfront, engaging your stakeholders thoughtfully, and staying focused on your goals, you can transform the friction of diverging opinions into a strength rather than a setback. Remember, misalignment isn’t something to fear—it’s an opportunity to sharpen your thinking and ensure your project truly delivers.

As long as you manage expectations, stay open to feedback without compromising your vision, and bring in neutral perspectives when needed, you’ll turn this tension into something productive. In the end, you’ll have a solution that not only works but has been battle-tested by multiple perspectives and insights.

So next time you find your team pulling in different directions, don’t see it as a roadblock. See it as the beginning of something stronger, more creative, and more aligned with your goals.