From Think Patented The Noodle, Vol. 15 Issue 5

The meeting started with a quick check-in on deliverables for a public health campaign. But halfway through, Caroline Geraghty saw that the numbers the creative team needed doubled overnight. The ripple effect was immediate. There were more assets to produce. More vendors to brief. Tighter timelines.

While the crush of what Geraghty saw in front of her would have stressed other marketers, she didn’t flinch. Weeks earlier, Geraghty, an Internal Account Manager at 110 North The Creative Agency, had mapped out the project with meticulous care. Crafting her strategic approach, she built a centralized hub, creating integrated feedback loops, and aligning every internal and external player on the campaign’s mission. The work she put into the preparation meant when the ask expanded, the team could pivot without panic—and without sacrificing quality.

“Because we had aligned the supply chain early, we were able to scale without compromising,” Geraghty recalls. “It was a flexibility built on strong initial setup and collaborative communication.”

Geraghty’s story of what happens when marketers must lead through the haze of what can, at times, be unpredictable circumstances, is a small but telling example of why marketers cannot afford to guess their way forward. While the path may not be clear, how you lead through the fog can determine whether your team emerges stronger or stuck.

For Geraghty, resilience starts with productivity through effective communication. “I begin by aligning all stakeholders on purpose: What are we solving for, who are we speaking to, and why now? From there, I use tools like Monday.com to visually map out milestones, dependencies and responsibilities, creating both structure and transparency across the supply chain.”

Her biggest challenge is when there is misalignment—not just on timelines, but on values and communication norms. She tackles it with what she calls the CORE+ method:

❱ Center & Check-in
Ground the team in the campaign’s purpose and current phase

❱ Observe with Curiosity
Identify friction without blame

❱ Reflect to Connect
Translate feedback into shared understanding

❱ Express with Compassion
Set expectations with clarity and respect

❱ Empower through Commitment
Co-create solutions and integrate next steps

Geraghty also believes consistency is born from clarity and connection. She maintains a central source of truth—a living brief or campaign hub—and layers in reviews to ensure cohesion. “When teams feel seen, heard and informed, they take more ownership of quality. Your execution chain is only as strong as the trust you build along it.”

Want more insights like this? Dive into The Noodle, Vol. 15 Issue 5 for fresh perspectives on marketing, technology, and creativity. Read the full issue here.

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