A presentation on managing high-stakes co-founder disputes within startups brought to you by Workplace Collaborations. Learn how to view partnership disputes in tech startups from a win-win perspective that broaden understanding toward resolution.

1. Co-Founder
Conflict
Management

2. The Five Negotiation Styles
1
2
3
4
Co-Founder Conflict: Causes & Symptoms
Decision-Making in High-Stakes Problems
Conflict Management for High-Pressure Situations
WHAT WE’LL BE COVERING

3. Co-founder disputes
are the No. 1 killer of
startups
Source: Wasserman, Noam (2012) The Founder’s Dilemma

4. Which means you’re not
alone

5. Having conflict does not
mean you’re a failure

6. It’s actually a good thing

7. A Lack of Conflict Could Mean Two
Things:
1. You don’t think your co-founder can handle open
and honest feedback
1. The founders walk on eggshells around each other,
avoiding issues

8. Common Sources Why Founders Don’t
Acknowledge Conflict
1. Past successes
2. Avoidance
3. Too competitive / not fighting fair
4. Not establishing professional
boundaries
5. Ego

9. But what matters most is
how you “fight”

10. “To be adult in relationship
is not to be conflict-free. It’s
to resolve conflict
mindfully.”

11. YOUR SCORES

12. Negotiation Defined
The process by which two or more people come to a
decision that they cannot make alone.

13. HOW DO THEY ACHIEVE THAT?
1. Competing
2. Avoiding
3. Compromising
4. Accommodating
5. Collaborating

15. WHICH USES A
MIXTURE OF
ASSERTIVENESS &
COOPERATIVENESS

18. COLLABORATING
1. Enhances the Working Relationship
2. You get what you want
3. The other side gets what they want
4. Needs a lot of trust & transparency
5. Most effective for long-term gain

19. WHY IS THIS ESSENTIAL TO LEARN?

21. NEGOTIATIO
N
BEHAVIORS

22. NEGOTIATION BEHAVIORS CONT…
1. Competing breeds distrust / power-moves
2. Avoiding breeds resentment / passiveness
3. Compromising breeds discontent / quick decisions
4. Accommodation breeds frustration / passive-
aggressiveness

23. BUT IT’S NOT ALL BAD

24. But For Decision-Making in High-
Pressure Situations…
COLLABORATION IS BEST

25. WHY?

26. Collaboration Benefits
You communicate to express your point of view while also
respecting the other side
Leads to out-of-Box ideas & solutions
Increases trust & transparency in decision-making
Everyone gets heard

27. But it’s sometimes harder than you think…

28. AN EXERCISE

29. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
1 Understand
Positions
2 Unearth the Impact
3 Uncover the Need(s)

30. This is what you’ll be taught to
do, so you can….

31. 1. Create stronger bonds
2. Overcome challenges together
3. Foster a better understanding
4. Unite the team
5. Enhance decision-making

32. “BE ASSERTIVE;
NOT AGGRESSIVE”

33. Q & A