My VP of Operations and VP of Product are constantly undermining each other's decisions with their direct reports, creating a toxic us-versus-them mentality down the line. How do we resolve this peer-to-peer misalignment before it completely fractures our culture?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When your VP of Operations and VP of Product are misaligned, the cracks at the leadership level will appear as massive canyons to the rest of the organization. This behavior kills trust, halts execution, and forces your employees to take sides, dragging down productivity across both departments.

To resolve this peer-to-peer conflict, you must force them to address the issue directly using the IDS tool, which stands for Identify, Discuss, and Solve. Do not let them complain to you individually. Bring them into a room and make them state their issues clearly to each other.

Focus the conversation on the Accountability Chart. Review the roles and responsibilities of both seats. Often, peer conflict is driven by overlapping expectations or unclear boundaries. Ensure that each leader understands exactly where their authority begins and ends, and verify that both individuals fully buy into the company's V/TO.

Remind them that as leadership team members, their primary loyalty must be to the leadership team first and their individual departments second. They must present a united front to the company. If they cannot resolve their differences and build a healthy, collaborative working relationship, they are risking the health of the entire business. You must make it clear that maintaining a toxic department-level rivalry is unacceptable, and if they cannot align, one or both of them will have to leave.