Good topic. Is the client always right? Does the stakeholder know what they want? What do they know? In the end, to get the dough we may have to swallow pride, hide our emotions and say "we can do that".
When dealing with external client's at home it is easy to swallow my pride. I did a couple designs for an unnamed school system and I thought after a few drafts I got to a point where I thought it was designed enough for a school system but wouldn't look like a school system design. Well the board reviewed it and degraded it. They said can we have it plainer and add more text and get rid of a picture, add more color etc... In the end I bit the bullet and dulled it down to xerox copying level and they loved it. I hated it and don't even keep it nor have a copy. It turned into a design we could do in word, maybe not that simple but that is my emotions knocking at the door.
As I said I bit the bullet and took the check. I did not agree with the board and stated why and gave suggestions to them but in the end they are writing the checks. I felt like a lot work time and effort went into a nice piece that the kids and parents would actually enjoy and show them the school system had class. Well they are boring. I didn't take it personally because it was work and for a check.
My wife who has her masters in Professional Writing is editing a book and the writer didn't agree with her edits and was going to get another editor. A personal shot to the heart, and she took it as such. I advised her give her further explanations as to why these edits should be made and she still says no tell her that if she's not satisfied get another copy editor. This instance was both ways of the writer taking offense thinking her writing is fine and the editor telling her items need to change.
When dealing with client I try not to take things personally and keep it professional. Yes it hurts when they don't like your design but it also feels great when they do. The client is always right but not always correct.
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