Navigating Executive Interpersonal Dynamics

A Tale of Ned and Jophrey

Let’s set the scene. Picture an open floor plan, one of those rolling whiteboards with half-finished product sketches, and a leadership team huddled around a conference table. Here’s Ned with his quiet confidence, leaning in with sharp questions, always asking about the data and pushing for a consensus. Across from him is Jophrey, sleeves rolled, expressive, always ready to make a big call and keep things moving. They both care deeply about the outcome but do not agree on how to get there.

Maybe in your own company you’ve seen a Ned and a Jophrey. Most leaders have. Two talented executives, both with serious experience, both valuable. But their ways of leading are oil and water. Ned builds coalitions. Jophrey charges ahead. When they work together, sparks fly - sometimes the good kind, sometimes not.

When executive dynamics go off the rails, you end up with missed deadlines, tension in meetings, and people getting pulled into camps. That’s not just unpleasant, it’s expensive. Talent leaves. Decisions stall. The company loses its edge. Let’s talk about how to spot the warning signs, step in with guiding hands, and keep the business on course.

Where Leadership Styles Clash

Ned listens. He wants input from all corners. Every change, every pivot - he wants the whole room bought in. When Ned’s at the helm, people feel heard. The risk is things slow down. When urgency spikes, his style can look like indecision.

Jophrey drives. He broadcasts urgency. He loves a bold move. He sees possible futures and wants to get there before the competition does. Under Jophrey, the team feels energy and can move quickly. But his impatience trips alarms - some feel steamrolled or left out of important calls.

Put Ned and Jophrey together in a decision meeting and you get gridlock. One feels things are rushed; the other feels the team can’t get out of first gear. That tension doesn’t just stay at the exec level. It trickles down to the teams - people catch on and take sides. That’s when you see the pitfalls:

• Decisions dragged out or reversed
• Teams second guessing strategies
• Top performers frustrated, sometimes enough to leave
• Metrics slipping because focus suffers

If you’re leading a team like this, or you are one of the “Neds” or “Jophreys” yourself, it’s on you to help bridge the gap.

Pitfalls That Stall Progress

Let’s name the most common, and avoidable, mistakes.

1. Not Talking About the Tension. Ignoring it is tempting. Busy people hope things work themselves out. But letting friction sit just creates more backchannels and resentment. Silence is not neutral - it sends a message that the tension is permanent and can’t be solved.

2. Making it Personal. When styles clash, it’s easy to start thinking, “He’s impossible to work with,” or, “She just doesn’t get it.” Strong personalities drive results, but they can also bring out the worst assumptions in others. What feels like a practical disagreement escalates into broad judgments. Teams watch their leaders and copy the vibe.

3. Failing to Set Clear Boundaries. Ned and Jophrey both own some piece of the product. They both want a say in major calls. If you haven’t actually decided where one role ends and the other begins, you’re setting up turf battles. Clarity is kindness. If people are overlapping, they’ll overlap in conflict as well as effort.

4. Overreliance on “The Boss” to Fix It. Sometimes the CEO or founder gets called in to break ties or smooth things over. That’s needed sometimes, but if every call depends on escalation, your leaders aren’t leading. You can’t scale a company if you’re always running to mom or dad for the answer.

How to Bring Strong Leaders Together

Let’s focus on what works. Over many years coaching executives and building software companies, here’s what I’ve seen get results for “Neds and Jophreys” everywhere.

1. Get the Issues on the Table. Real progress starts with a conversation about what’s really happening. This means naming the fact that the team is stuck, and why. Set a time, get both leaders in the room, and lead with curiosity. Sometimes, just having Ned say aloud, “I fear if we rush decisions, we’ll backtrack later,” and hearing Jophrey counter, “I worry if we overanalyze, we’ll miss the window,” clears the air. Encourage directness with kindness. Remind both that their goals are aligned, even if their styles aren’t. Being clear is far more respectful than letting people stew.

2. Define Boundaries and Decision Rights. Every exec team needs to know who has the “Decision Rights” - the final say - on different topics. You might split by business area, project phase, or even by type of decision (strategic versus operational). Write this down and communicate it to teams. This eliminates drama about who is in charge and lets people move forward with confidence.

Check in after a month. Did things get smoother? Be ready to adjust. Flexibility beats rigidity, but only when the ground rules are clear.

3. Practice Sharing the Narrative. When Ned and Jophrey agree on the message, the teams hear a single voice. When they don’t, each meeting turns into a “he said, she said.” After every sticky exec conversation, repeat decisions and rationale together, out loud, before leaving the room. That may sound trivial, but it works. It cements buy-in and signals to the broader organization that alignment is real.

4. Celebrate Wins as a Team. Strong personalities crave recognition. If you only celebrate individual contributions, you risk feeding rivalry. Instead, spotlight the team’s achievements. It’s powerful when Ned says publicly, “Jophrey pushed us to make a bold choice, and it paid off,” or when Jophrey praises Ned’s discipline around details. The team learns by example. If executives give one another positive credit, teams will as well.

5. Seek Third-Party Support When Needed. Sometimes dynamics get stuck enough that outside help makes the difference. That could be an executive coach, a trusted mentor, or even a skilled leader from outside your department. The right person can surface hidden issues, facilitate tough conversations, and restore trust.

How to Manage Up When You’re Not the Boss

What if you aren’t Ned or Jophrey, but you work closely with them? Maybe you’re a director reporting to one, or a project lead orbiting the drama. Here’s how you help move the ship forward, even if you’re not steering directly.

Stay Curious Before Taking Sides

Listen to both leaders and ask questions before jumping to conclusions. “I hear both of you saying the timeline is tight, but you have different reasons. Can we unpack what really matters for this launch?” This moves the dialog from winning to solving.

Clarify Before Acting

When things are murky, don’t guess which orders to follow. Recap what you’re hearing to both sides. “Just to confirm, Ned’s focused on X for reliability, Jophrey’s prioritizing Y for speed. Should I proceed based on last week’s plan or is there a new direction?” This pushes leaders to reconcile any mixed messages without you having to referee.

Keep Teams Focused on Outcomes

Remind your team that their goal is the business outcome, not any single exec’s style. Keep morale high and energy focused on what the company needs, not office politics. Show the team you value both detailed planning and bold moves - model that you can see the best in each approach.

Final Thought

There’s no way to get around strong personalities at the top, and many executive teams act like it's The Game of Thrones. Having two confident, high-achieving execs means you have bench strength that can win. The work is in channeling that energy into healthy debate and real results. Step one is naming what’s happening. Step two, setting real boundaries. Step three, bringing everyone together around shared wins.

If you’re willing to lean into the discomfort - call out the rifts, clarify the lanes, and celebrate as a team - you turn clashing styles from a liability into a competitive edge. Over time, Ned and Jophrey become the reason other teams wish they could work with yours.

That's the real upside - when strong leaders actually lift each other, the whole company rises. Keep at it. And celebrate those team wins, every step of the way.