When you and your business partner are not on the same page

A big challenge we often help mediate with executives and founders is what happens when they’re at odds with their business partners.

Whether it’s the decision to sell the company, or how to grow the company, or key hiring decisions, friction with your partner can be a major cause of stress and anxiety.

We have a proprietary framework we use for this kind of conflict resolution. At The Hatch Company, we’re pro conflict. That doesn’t mean we like to argue, but healthy conflict is a sign of trust and commitment.

One of the biggest hurdles for people in these conflicts is perspective taking. Our framework walks you through a step by step way you can start to understand the point of view, the fears and concerns of your partner. Like any conflict in any relationship, most people don’t need you to agree with them, but they need to feel heard and valued.

The way to move through the conflict is to help lower the risk barrier for the other person. When people have big fears about something, their brains actually start to operate sub-optimally.

They can fall prey to worst case scenario or catastrophic thinking, or feel like they are being threatened and need to protect themselves by keeping you and your opinions far away from them (at whatever means necessary).

Sometimes you need an uninvolved third party to help you see each other’s perspectives, and sometimes you need a script to walk through. We can do both. By following our protocol, founders have agreed to exit or sell companies together, build new streams of revenue, and introduce new product lines. Let us know how we can help you by contacting us today.