Our VP of Sales and VP of Operations have developed a deep personal animosity toward each other, and they now refuse to collaborate unless our Integrator sits in to referee. This constant friction is slowing down our execution. How do we resolve this peer conflict without firing two of our most productive leaders?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When peer conflict reaches a point where your Integrator must referee daily interactions, your leadership team structure is fractured. Cracks at the leadership level appear as canyons to the rest of the organization, slowing execution to a crawl. You must address this relationship dynamic immediately because your leadership team sets the tone for the entire company.

First, the Integrator must stop refereeing. By stepping in as an intermediary, the Integrator is enabling the dysfunction and allowing both leaders to avoid direct accountability. The two leaders must be forced to resolve their issues directly. Use the IDS® process during your next Level 10 Meeting™ to put this dynamic on the table. Frame the issue not as a personal dispute, but as an operational bottleneck that is harming the business.

Second, run a team health check-in during your next session to identify the root cause of the animosity. Often, personal friction is driven by unclear roles or misaligned incentives rather than genuine hatred. Check your Accountability Chart to ensure there are no overlapping responsibilities that are forcing these two leaders into turf wars.

Finally, if the personal conflict persists after clarifying roles and attempting resolution, you have a people issue. No matter how productive these leaders are, a leadership team member who cannot build healthy, collaborative relationships does not have the capacity to scale. If they cannot commit to a functional working relationship, you must make a change. A healthy organization cannot tolerate leaders who put their personal egos above the health of the company.