Episode 164 - The Inevitable Conflict in Growing Businesses with Mike Jones

In this episode, we explore a challenge that almost every growing business encounters but few openly address: the tension between growth and operational reality. We discuss how winning new business, while exciting on the surface, often creates friction internally, particularly between sales, leadership, and operations teams. As businesses scale, differing motivations and ways of thinking can lead to misalignment, frustration, and ultimately inefficiency if not handled deliberately.

We examine how leaders can navigate this complexity by creating alignment, setting clear non-negotiables, and fostering a culture that accepts a degree of discomfort as part of growth. Rather than avoiding conflict, we consider how to channel it productively, balancing customer needs, team wellbeing, and commercial viability. The conversation centres on building a “win-win” business, where growth is both sustainable and meaningful, supported by structure, communication, and shared purpose.

You can listen to the full episode here 

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Key Topics Discussed:

• Why growth naturally creates tension between teams
• The importance of alignment around goals, strategy, and expectations
• Different team motivations and how they impact decision-making
• The danger of over-optimising for the customer (e.g. underpricing or over-customising)
• Defining and communicating non-negotiables in the business
• The “win-win” approach across customers, team, and financial performance
• The role of leadership mindset in shaping culture and behaviour
• Introducing structure: 90-day goals and weekly accountability rhythms
• The concept of “comfort vs growth zones” in business
• Building a culture that embraces productive discomfort rather than avoiding it
  
  

Who Is This Episode For:

This episode is particularly relevant for business owners, managing directors, and senior leaders in SMEs who are navigating growth or planning to scale. It will also resonate with operations leaders, sales and marketing teams, and anyone responsible for aligning people, processes, and performance within a growing organisation.

Quotes to Remember:

“Ultimately what it comes down to is alignment, getting the team aligned and clear on the objectives and goals.”

“We only exist as businesses… to solve someone else’s problem.”

“If you go in with your non-negotiables, it forces you to come to solutions.”

Actionable Takeaways:

1. Define clear non-negotiables (e.g. revenue targets, service standards) to guide decision-making
2. Introduce a 90-day planning cycle to maintain focus and momentum
3. Establish a weekly cadence (meetings + metrics) to track progress and maintain accountability
4. Involve your team in strategy discussions to improve buy-in and reduce resistance
5. Recognise and respect different thinking styles across departments
6. Avoid over-serving customers at the expense of profitability or sustainability
7. Create space for open conversations about friction and challenges
8. Align incentives with behaviours you actually want to see
9. Build a culture where healthy discomfort is expected, not avoided
10. Regularly revisit goals and ask: "What does a true win-win look like here?” 

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