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The SME Growth Podcast by WellmeadowAuthor: Wellmeadow
Co-hosts, Dave Parry and Rich Buckle have worked with over 100 businesses at board-level through their growth consulting firm Wellmeadow. The SME Growth Podcast is an extension of the types of conversations we have in the boardroom. With a focus on marketing and sales strategies, we aim to give small and medium enterprise (SME) leaders tips, tools, and techniques that they can pick up and apply in their own business context. We also bring on business leaders and experts who tell their stories of the highs and lows in the world of business with a focus on the UK. Language: en Genres: Business Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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164: The Inevitable Conflict in Growing Businesses with Mike Jones
Episode 164
Thursday, 19 March, 2026
In this episode, we explore a challenge that almost every growing business encounters but few openly address: the tension between growth and operational reality. We discuss how winning new business, while exciting on the surface, often creates friction internally, particularly between sales, leadership, and operations teams. As businesses scale, differing motivations and ways of thinking can lead to misalignment, frustration, and ultimately inefficiency if not handled deliberately.We examine how leaders can navigate this complexity by creating alignment, setting clear non-negotiables, and fostering a culture that accepts a degree of discomfort as part of growth. Rather than avoiding conflict, we consider how to channel it productively, balancing customer needs, team wellbeing, and commercial viability. The conversation centres on building a “win-win” business, where growth is both sustainable and meaningful, supported by structure, communication, and shared purpose.Chapters:00:00:00 – Opening & Introduction00:03:55 – Setting the Scene: Growth vs Operations00:06:20 – Why Growth Creates Internal Conflict00:09:30 – Aligning Teams with Different Mindsets00:12:20 – Incentives, Involvement & Motivation00:15:00 – Non-Negotiable’s & Decision-Making00:17:00 – Finding the “Win-Win” Balance00:20:00 – Building Accountability (90-Day & Weekly Cadence)00:22:00 – Comfort vs Growth Zones in Business00:28:00 – Creating a Culture of Productive DiscomfortKey Topics Discussed: • Why growth naturally creates tension between teams • The importance of alignment around goals, strategy, and expectations • Different team motivations and how they impact decision-making • The danger of over-optimising for the customer (e.g. underpricing or over-customising) • Defining and communicating non-negotiables in the business • The “win-win” approach across customers, team, and financial performance • The role of leadership mindset in shaping culture and behaviour • Introducing structure: 90-day goals and weekly accountability rhythms • The concept of “comfort vs growth zones” in business • Building a culture that embraces productive discomfort rather than avoiding itWho Is This Episode For:This episode is particularly relevant for business owners, managing directors, and senior leaders in SMEs who are navigating growth or planning to scale. It will also resonate with operations leaders, sales and marketing teams, and anyone responsible for aligning people, processes, and performance within a growing organisation.Quotes To Remember:“Ultimately what it comes down to is alignment, getting the team aligned and clear on the objectives and goals.”“We only exist as businesses… to solve someone else’s problem.”“If you go in with your non-negotiables, it forces you to come to solutions.”Actionable Takeaways:1.) Define clear non-negotiables (e.g. revenue targets, service standards) to guide decision-making2.) Introduce a 90-day planning cycle to maintain focus and momentum3.) Establish a weekly cadence (meetings + metrics) to track progress and maintain accountability4.) Involve your team in strategy discussions to improve buy-in and reduce resistance5.) Recognise and respect different thinking styles across departments6.) Avoid over-serving customers at the expense of profitability or sustainability7.) Create space for open conversations about friction and challenges8.) Align incentives with behaviours you actually want to see9.) Build a culture where healthy discomfort is expected, not avoided10.) Regularly revisit goals and ask: “What does a true win-win look like here?”🎧 Listen on YouTube & Apple Music here: https://anchor.fm/wellmeadow🤳 Like & Follow/Subscribe for weekly episodes on growth, marketing, and making smart business decisions.Got feedback or questions? Drop a comment below – we read them all! 👇
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