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  • January–February 2019
  • Article
  • Harvard Business Review

Case Study: When Two Leaders on the Senior Team Hate Each Other

By: Boris Groysberg and Katherine Connolly Baden
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Abstract

In this fictional case, the CEO of a sports apparel manufacturer is faced with an ongoing conflict between two of his top executives. Specifically, the head of sales and the CFO are at each other’s throats and the tension is having a ripple effect on their teams and the rest of the organization. The CEO, who tends to avoid conflict himself, is struggling with how to respond. His options include changing the company compensation scheme to encourage better collaboration, firing the two leaders, getting them each a coach, and doing more team building activities.

Keywords

Interpersonal Conflict; Management Teams; Conflict Management

Citation

Groysberg, Boris, and Katherine Connolly Baden. "Case Study: When Two Leaders on the Senior Team Hate Each Other." Harvard Business Review 97, no. 1 (January–February 2019).
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About The Author

Boris Groysberg

Organizational Behavior
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More from the Authors
  • Beamery: Using Skills and AI to Modernize HR By: Boris Groysberg, Alexis Lefort, Susan Pinckney and Carolina Bartunek
  • The LPGA’s Long Drive Toward Gender Equity (B) By: Boris Groysberg and Alexis Lefort
  • Grittiness at Convene By: Boris Groysberg and Sarah L. Abbott
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