A manager's guide to giving creative feedback (feat. feedback frameworks)

Creative feedback as a manager: called for, or actually just kinda constrictive?

For a marketing manager, there's an inherent tension between creativity and direction when it comes to this kind of feedback. Sure, it can give your team the nudge they need when they're dealing with writers or creative burnout, but where is the line when creativity is so subjective?

Poor (or poorly-delivered) creative feedback has a high-cost: decreased motivation, missed opportunities, and wasted resources. But the just the right amount could make the difference, taking content from "wah" to "wow".

Someone call Nelly and Kelly, because this is a (marketing) dilemma—but we're here to help solve it.

Why traditional feedback methods often fail with creative work

The creative feedback challenge comes from the fact all the feedback methods you've previously learned, don't necessarily translate so well when it comes to creative work.

Traditional feedback approaches fall short with creative work for a few reasons, including:

1. Different success metrics: Creative work resists objective measurement, making standard evaluation frameworks ineffective.
2. Personal investment: Creative output represents not just skills but personal expression, making feedback feel more like personal criticism.
3. Evolving targets: Unlike technical projects with clear specifications, creative work often develops its (or additional, sometimes fun) goals during the process.
4. Risk aversion vs. innovation: Standard feedback tends to reward safety and conformity, while creativity requires experimentation and risk-taking.
5. Premature judgment: Traditional feedback jumps to evaluation before understanding what the creative work aims to accomplish.

The conclusion? With conventional feedback, you might be risking more frustration than innovation. So, how about we take a deeper look at the creative mind. 🧠

Understanding the minds of creative marketers

Okay, why do creatives think and take feedback a little bit differently? Well, there are a few things to consider:

1. Timing matters: Creative professionals often need space during the writing, designing, or just straight-up thinking process. Feedback too early on can disrupt the flow of ideas and concept development; feedback too late can lead to a ton of rework (yuck). The feedback sweet spot comes at strategic inflection points—after conceptualization but before final execution, or to a smaller degree for any times they need a little nudge. Understanding when to step in with guidance versus when to take a step back is crucial for managing creative teams effectively.
2. Creative subjectivity: While more data-driven roles deal mainly with measurable outcomes, creative work exists in a world of subjective interpretation. Not to mention, there's a serious benefit to quirky tones of voice across your content. What resonates with one audience, might fall flat with another—but creative marketers are trained to consider multiple perspectives and personas. When they question feedback, don't see it as difficult; they're applying that multi-dimensional thinking that makes their work valuable.
3. Confidence vs creative risk-taking: There's a unique paradox when it comes to creativity; your team needs to be confident enough to present bold ideas, but also vulnerable enough to take risks and accept criticism. That's exactly why feedback needs to hit the perfect balance, otherwise you could risk boring content as a result. The best creative work comes from marketers that feel comfortable to propose that next wild campaign idea... without the fear of harsh criticism.

Check out 8 steps to convincing your CMO about your new (wild) campaign idea.

3 feedback frameworks for creative teams

1) The "what works / what if" framework 🤔

• Start with positive observations
• Use "what if" questions to explore alternatives
• Example: "Love what you did there, dude—how about we make it *pop* with another color?"
• Outcome: Maintains curiosity and openness

2) The strategic alignment method 🙏

• Connect feedback to project objectives
• Use success metrics as feedback anchors
• Example: "Okay, so the tone of voice here might need a rejig here to fit with our developer persona"
• Outcome: Balances creative expression with business goals

3) The feedback matrix 😎

• Break down feedback into objective vs. subjective components
• Make clear differentiation between must-haves and preferences
• Example: "Something I think I would love to see here is..."
• Outcome: Creates clear priorities and potential inspo for edits or revision

Feedback communication strategies AKA don't f*ck it up

There are a bunch of ways you can communicate with your team; including a bunch of ways you can f*ck it up. Excuse the language. 😶

Try using these communication strategies for your next feedback session:

• Encourage dialogue and conversation with opening phrases, like:
  • "I'm curious about..." or "I'd love to hear more about..."
  • "Help me understand..."
  • "Talk me through what led you to..."
• Ask questions that might spark more innovation, like:
  • "What other approaches did you consider?"
  • "How might we amplify this strength?"
  • "What would make this even more impactful?"
• Show them you are aware of subjective preferences, by:
  • Acknowledging personal bias ✅
  • Focusing on audience impact ✅
  • Using data and insights to support direction ✅

3 manager must-haves for next time you give creative feedback

1. Time your feedback well

   If you're a manager of a creative team (whether that be writers, designers, videographers, or other marketers), you've got to understand and recognize creative momentum. It's not something you want to get in the way of. Really consider early stage and late stage feedback, and where might be disruptive rather than useful.
   
   💡 Plan in regular feedback sessions, where ideas and plans can be brought forward (show and tell-style), at a stage they're actually ready for feedback.
   
   

2. Create feedback rituals

   
   Feedback rituals are the new spa treatments, bringing relaxation, calm, and zen into your life. 🧘 Okay, not quite but by creating feedback rituals you can both normalize and structure feedback in a way that makes it less difficult to hear and say for all involved. By making them bi-weekly, monthly, or whatever-ly works for your team, you can understand how others like to receive feedback, and iterate on team critique protocols—offer up a space to get feedback on your feedback!
   
   💡 Don't make these sessions all about things you don't like or should improve. Celebrate the good stuff, get inspired, and learn from each other. These get-togethers helps with consistent messaging and branding too.
   
   

3. Document feedback and action points... and actually follow-through

   
   Make sure you capture feedback effectively by documenting everything. Have a centralized spot for it too, whether that's a Word doc for your 1/1 or something like Optimizely Content Marketing Platform where all your comments can be captured in the same task so you don't have to be searching through multiple tabs for your next move (shameless plug, but true).
   
   💡 Ensure your team maintains creative ownership over tasks by setting clear next steps or considerations in the documentation, and return to the notes next time you meet to see how they've developed.

Let's put it to the test: Case studies and common scenarios (+ solutions)

1) Creative burnout AKA overworked, overtired, and kinda done-with-it 👎

Situation: Team member's work quality has declined, showing signs of creative burnout and exhaustion

How to approach it as a manager:

• Schedule a one-on-one focused on wellbeing, not just deliverables
• Analyze current workload and project distribution
• Implement "creative recharge" periods between intense projects
• Consider rotating team members across different types of projects
• Introduce new creative exercises or workshops to spark inspiration

Feedback example: "I've noticed you seem less energized about recent projects. Let's look at your workload and find ways to make it more sustainable. What type of work currently excites you the most?"

2) Missing the brief AKA not understanding the assignment 😔

Situation: Creative work shows promise but doesn't align with project requirements

How to approach it as a manager:

• Review brief understanding before diving into specifics
• Identify which elements align and which don't
• Explore why certain creative decisions were made
• Find ways to preserve innovative elements while meeting requirements

Feedback example: "There are some really interesting elements here, particularly [insert example here]. Walk me through your thinking on how this connects to [key brief requirement]."

3) Stakeholder misalignment AKA ducks are certainly *not* in a row 🦆

Situation: Multiple stakeholders providing conflicting feedback

How to approach it as a manager:

• Document all feedback points in a structured format
• Identify common themes and true conflicts
• Prioritize feedback based on project objectives
• Create a clear decision-making hierarchy
• Use data and user insights to guide decisions

Feedback example: "We've received various perspectives. Let's focus on our core objectives: [list objectives]. Which feedback points directly impact these goals?"

4) Fear of risk-taking AKA too scared to get spicy with content 🌶️

Situation: Team playing it safe, producing predictable work

How to approach it as a manager:

• Create "safe spaces" for experimental work
• Implement low-stakes creative exercises
• Celebrate bold attempts, regardless of outcome
• Share examples of successful risk-taking
• Build psychological safety through positive reinforcement

Feedback example: "What would this look like if we had no constraints? Let's start there and then find a balance between bold ideas and practical requirements."

Building a creative feedback culture that actually works

It's clear that when feedback is done right, it has long-term benefits—not only through the quality of the work produced, but the learnings both your team and you as a manager can get along the way.

Getting the perfect balance might take time, but taking on these steps and tips will help get you there.