By Linda Gupton

For communications professionals charged with the task of creating the content and design for branding or other strategic initiatives, it’s easy sometimes to develop an “us” versus “them” mindset when it comes to the creative process.

Whether you’re a writer, photographer, creative director or graphic designer, there’s likely been a number of times when you’ve grumbled a bit under your breath because the client didn’t “get it” when you presented your brilliant branding solution or innovative design idea. Or maybe the corporate committee or overworked communications manager with the client company made so many changes to your idea that now it’s a muddy, murky mess in your mind.

Last month and again this month, we’re focusing in our feature article on the question of how “creatives” and “suits” come to agreement on when a project is “good enough.” For the “creatives,” it can sometimes be all about the quality and beauty of the work, and less about the objective of accomplishing a particular communications goal or strategy. For the “suits,” the corporate process of decision-making and consensus building can be difficult waters to navigate and still emerge with an effective solution that has creative beauty.

But the biggest challenge of all is to fight the “us” versus “them” mindset that can easily rear its ugly head, turning a collaborative approach to problem-solving into a turf war over who has the best idea or who is to blame for the end project being less than what everyone involved had hoped for.

As communications professionals, we clearly ought to focus our energies first and foremost on doing our best job of communicating with those we are partnering with on projects. Putting aside the “us” versus “them” mindset and encouraging a creative process that recognizes both the need for well defined objectives — and creative solutions that reach those objectives — will always ensure that our finished work is not just “good enough” but something that brings satisfaction and a sense of well-being at the end of the day.