What do you do if your strategic communication efforts are not aligning with your creative team's vision?

When your strategic communication efforts seem to be on a different wavelength than your creative team's vision, it can feel like navigating a ship through foggy waters. You aim for clarity and direction, but the mist of misalignment obscures the path to your destination. In strategic communications, your goal is to deliver messages that resonate with your audience and achieve your organization's objectives. Yet, when these messages don't align with the creative vision, the result can be a confusing brand narrative that fails to engage or inspire. It's crucial to address this disconnect promptly and effectively to ensure that your strategic objectives and creative expression move in harmony.

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1 Assess Gaps

The first step is to conduct a thorough assessment to pinpoint exactly where the gaps in alignment are occurring. Engage with your creative team in a dialogue to understand their perspective and vision. Listen actively to their ideas and concerns, and compare these with your strategic communication goals. It's essential to identify whether the misalignment is due to differences in understanding the project's objectives, target audience, or the key messages that need to be conveyed. By establishing where the disconnect lies, you can begin to bridge the gap and work towards a cohesive strategy.

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Isabel Dalence

Multi-Industry Strategic Communications Leader | Award Winner | Crisis Management Expert | Driving Global Engagement & Growth | Social Media Maven
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☎️ Keep the lines of communication open! Make sure your team are all on the same page and that they're all working towards the same goal. Make sure you're listening to their ideas and concerns (workshops or creative collab spaces can help!). 🎯 Make sure your goals and audience are on the same page! Have a look and see if there's any overlap between their vision and your strategic goals and target audience. Is there a difference of opinion about what the project is trying to achieve, who it's trying to reach, or the key message? 🪇 Get it all sorted! Once you've figured out what's wrong, work together to fix it. Come up with a plan that uses both strategic planning and creative vision to get everyone on the same page.

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2 Open Dialogue

Open and honest communication is the bedrock of resolving any misalignment between strategic communication efforts and the creative team's vision. Facilitate a meeting where both sides can express their views without judgment. This should be a constructive conversation where each party understands the other's challenges and expectations. Encourage the creative team to share their creative process and rationale behind their vision, and in turn, clearly articulate the strategic objectives that need to be met. Mutual understanding is the key to finding a middle ground.

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Cari Murray

marketing & magic @ heyMarvin.com
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TALK TO PEOPLE. I'm sorry for yelling, but please just pick up the phone. Stop making assumptions and start asking questions with genuine curiosity. Assume positive intent. And remember, you're on the same team even if you play different roles. You all want your company to succeed and you all want to keep your customers happy. On that note, make sure you're bringing customer data/feedback into your vision and strategy.

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Erin Browning, MSM

Marketing and communications leader with senior experience in engineering and technology. I create strategic, integrated programs for technical industries that drive impactful results and foster innovation.
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When two teams aren’t on the same page I take a step back. One tool I like to use, especially with diverse teams that include different skills and experience levels, is brainstorming. Back up to your initial project goal discussion and start brainstorming big picture concepts. Don’t get down into the weeds. I like using a sticky note board to post each idea before any discussion or narrowing options down to a short list. Limit the time frame for this stage to 10–15 minutes. Next, if there are similar concepts, find a way to consolidate them. Once you have a “short list” schedule a meeting with the creative team. Using your shortlist, brainstorm with the creative team to build upon your team’s ideas and develop a new plan together.

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3 Align Objectives

Once you've established open communication, the next step is to align the objectives of both teams. This might involve revisiting the communication strategy and ensuring it accounts for creative input that supports the overall goals. Sometimes, strategic adjustments are necessary to incorporate innovative ideas that can enhance the message. Ensure that both teams are working towards a common goal by defining clear and measurable objectives that integrate strategic priorities with creative insights.

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4 Collaborative Solutions

Collaboration is crucial when it comes to reconciling differences between strategic communications and creative visions. Work together to brainstorm solutions that satisfy both the strategic objectives and the creative aspirations. This collaborative effort can lead to innovative approaches that might not have been considered otherwise. It's important to foster an environment where everyone feels their input is valued and where compromise does not mean sacrificing the quality or effectiveness of the communication.

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5 Implement Changes

After finding a solution that aligns with both strategic and creative goals, it's time to implement the changes. This step requires careful planning and clear communication to ensure that all team members understand the revised approach. It may also involve training or additional resources to support the new direction. Monitor the implementation closely and be prepared to make further adjustments as necessary, ensuring that the strategic communication efforts are effectively integrated with the creative vision.

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6 Evaluate Results

Finally, evaluating the results of your realigned efforts is crucial for continuous improvement. Gather feedback from both the strategic communications team and the creative team, as well as from the target audience, to measure the success of your initiatives. This evaluation should look at whether the revised approach has improved message clarity, audience engagement, and overall campaign effectiveness. Use these insights to refine your strategies and enhance collaboration in future projects.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What do you do if your strategic communication efforts are not aligning with your creative team's vision?

1

2

3

4

5

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1 Assess Gaps

2 Open Dialogue

3 Align Objectives

4 Collaborative Solutions

5 Implement Changes

6 Evaluate Results

7 Here’s what else to consider

Strategic Communications

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What do you do if your strategic communication efforts are not aligning with your creative team's vision?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess Gaps

2 Open Dialogue

3 Align Objectives

4 Collaborative Solutions

5 Implement Changes

6 Evaluate Results

7 Here’s what else to consider

Strategic Communications

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