Your team is divided on content standards. How can you navigate conflicting opinions effectively?

1 Listen First

The first step to resolving any disagreement is to listen actively to all team members' concerns and suggestions. This means creating an open forum where everyone feels safe to express their opinions without fear of dismissal or ridicule. By understanding each team member's perspective, you can identify common ground and areas of contention. This approach not only helps in addressing the issues at hand but also demonstrates respect for your team's expertise and input, which is essential in building a cooperative and productive work environment.

2 Establish Goals

Once you've heard from your team, it's time to define clear, achievable goals for your content. These goals should align with your organization's overarching objectives and be specific enough to guide the creation and curation of content. By setting these benchmarks, you provide a shared vision that helps focus the discussion and decision-making process. Goals act as the lighthouse, guiding your team through the fog of disagreement towards a destination that benefits everyone involved.

3 Create Guidelines

With goals in place, developing a set of content guidelines is the next logical step. These guidelines should be comprehensive, covering aspects like tone, style, and branding, as well as technical considerations such as search engine optimization (SEO) and accessibility. The process of creating these standards should be collaborative, allowing team members to contribute their expertise and agree on best practices. Guidelines serve as the rulebook that everyone plays by, ensuring consistency and quality across all content.

4 Encourage Flexibility

It's important to recognize that content standards are not set in stone. Encourage your team to remain flexible and open to revisiting and revising the guidelines as needed. This adaptability allows your content strategy to evolve with changing market trends, audience preferences, and technological advancements. Flexibility ensures that your team stays ahead of the curve and continues to produce relevant, engaging content.

5 Implement Training

To ensure everyone is on the same page, consider implementing training sessions focused on the agreed-upon content standards. These sessions can help clarify any confusion and provide team members with the skills and knowledge needed to adhere to the guidelines. Training is not just about enforcing rules; it's also an opportunity for professional development and team building, which can enhance both the quality of your content and the morale of your team.

6 Monitor Progress

Lastly, it's crucial to monitor the implementation of the content standards and measure progress towards your goals. This might involve regular check-ins, content audits, or performance analytics. Monitoring helps to identify areas where the standards may not be fully understood or followed, allowing for timely interventions and continuous improvement. It also provides tangible evidence of your team's hard work and the positive impact of having unified content standards.

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?