Two of my top executives on the leadership team have completely opposite communication styles, and their personal animosity is starting to paralyze our weekly executive meetings. How do we resolve this deep-seated peer conflict without taking sides or micro-managing them?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When peer conflict infects your leadership team, you cannot ignore it or play therapist. You must address it directly using the concepts of conation and structural safety. Start by administering the Kolbe A™ Index to both leaders to uncover their natural methods of operation.

Often, what looks like personal animosity is actually conative friction. For example, a leader who is a high Fact Finder will demand deep research and historical data before making a decision. This can infuriate a high Quick Start peer who wants to experiment rapidly and move fast. When both leaders understand that their counterpart is not trying to be difficult, but is simply operating out of hard-wired instinct, the frustration evaporates.

Bring both executives into a private room. Map their Kolbe results side by side on a whiteboard. Show them how their opposite strengths can actually make the team stronger if they learn to leverage them.

Next, establish clear ground rules for communication in your Level 10 Meeting™. Force them to use the IDS® process to solve operational issues rather than attacking each other personally. If they bring personal grievances to the table, pivot the conversation back to what is best for the business by looking at the Accountability Chart. They must agree that the health of the company supersedes their personal feelings. If they cannot build a functional professional relationship after this, one of them has to go.