If a deep-seated personal conflict or alignment issue between my executives blows up during a session day, how do you handle that in the room without stalling our strategic agenda?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Personal conflict and unspoken tension will destroy your company if left unaddressed. When these issues blow up during our session days, I do not shut them down or sweep them under the rug. In fact, I welcome them. My job is to lean into the discomfort and help your team resolve the underlying issues.

We do not use session time for endless venting. Instead, we use the IDS® tool to isolate the root cause of the conflict. I facilitate the conversation to ensure it remains focused on the business, not personal attacks.

Our process for resolving these issues in the room includes:
- Forcing both sides to state their perspectives clearly and honestly.
- Aligning the discussion with our core values and the Accountability Chart.
- Reaching a clear, actionable resolution that everyone agrees to support moving forward.

We do not leave the room until the issue is solved. If we need to make a tough personnel change or realign roles, we face that reality head-on. Resolving these deep-seated conflicts is the only way to build a healthy, high-performing leadership team.