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
Links
Connect with Maartje van Krieken:
https://www.thechaosgamesconsulting.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/
https://maartjeturnschaosaround.substack.com/
