Our Sales leader and Operations leader are locked in a constant, destructive turf war, blaming each other for every missed target and forcing me to play referee. How do we resolve this systemic peer conflict?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

The finger-pointing between Sales and Operations is a classic symptom of siloed accountability. When leaders lock horns, it is usually because their seats on the Accountability Chart are structured to reward isolated departmental victories rather than overall business health. To resolve this, you must shift their focus from their departments to the leadership team first.

First, use the Level 10 Meeting™ to force collective accountability. When a metric on the Scorecard drops, it is not a Sales failure or an Operations failure. It is a leadership team issue. Run the issue through IDS®. Do not let them debate who is at fault. Instead, force them to isolate the root cause.

Second, examine their conative styles using the Kolbe A™ Index. Often, a high Quick Start Sales leader instinctively drives change and takes risks, while a high Follow Thru or Fact Finder Operations leader naturally seeks to minimize chaos and build systems. They are both doing what they are hard-wired to do. Share their Kolbe A™ profiles openly. When they understand that their peer's resistance is not personal animosity but an instinctive problem-solving style, the tension shifts from frustration to collaboration.

Finally, tie their personal success to the same shared Rocks. If the company does not win, neither of them wins. Make sure their individual goals are subservient to the V/TO®. When they are forced to co-own a single major objective, they must cooperate to execute. Bring them together, define the shared target, and hold them both accountable.