Episode 40

Conflict Is Inevitable—How You Respond Isn’t

Conflict doesn’t kill momentum. Our silence around it does.

Maartje van Krieken makes a case for why conflict resolution in growing businesses should be a core leadership skill, not something we save for when things get bad. She shares a bold truth: most workplace conflict comes from fear. Fear of being left behind. Fear of failure. Fear of losing control. And when those fears go unspoken, they don’t just slow teams down. They damage trust, communication, and performance.

What happens when leaders let tension linger? How much collaboration is lost when no one wants to name the discomfort in the room? Maartje shares a personal story from her early career that shows how quickly team dynamics can unravel without clear communication during workplace conflict. She also introduces her “three Cs” framework, communication, clarity, and care, as a practical approach to managing team tension in scaling companies. These aren’t abstract ideas. They’re the real conversations, decisions, and moments that either help teams grow together or break apart.

If you’re scaling a team, leading through change, or noticing signs of disconnection, this episode offers a grounded, no-nonsense take on what to do next and why waiting is the bigger risk.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Fear, Friction, and Conflict in Leadership

01:05 Fear as the Root of Workplace Conflict

02:30 How Conflict Impacts Growing Businesses

03:56 A Personal Story of Conflict at Work

06:25 The Cost of Avoiding Conflict

09:05 The Three Cs of Conflict Resolution

13:20 Why Clarity Prevents Misalignment

16:01 Leading with Care in Tough Conversations

18:00 Creating a Culture That Addresses Conflict

21:09 Using Conflict Tools to Build Stronger Teams

24:31 Realignment, Safety, and Resilience in Business