Hollywood is having a reckoning.
Writers, actors, and directors are clashing with tech giants like Google and ChatGPT over the future of creativity. At the heart of the conflict? A value collision—two fundamentally different beliefs about what matters most. One side fights for human expression, while the other sees a future shaped by technological efficiency.
But you don’t have to work in Hollywood to experience a value collision. They happen every day in business partnerships. What begins as shared excitement often runs aground when partners realize they’re not aligned on the why, the how, or even the who of their business.
As a strategist, I’ve seen how these silent collisions can wreck partnerships, corrode trust, and tear promising businesses apart.
Let’s talk about why they happen—and what to do before it’s too late.
What Is a Value Collision in Business Partnerships?
A value collision happens when business partners hold fundamentally different beliefs about what matters most. It’s not a debate about this quarter’s strategy or next year’s product roadmap. It’s deeper than that—about purpose, ethics, priorities, and identity.
In Hollywood, it’s the belief in preserving human creativity versus embracing AI-generated efficiency. In business partnerships, it often looks like:
- One partner prioritizing rapid growth; the other, craftsmanship and quality.
- One seeing employees as resources to optimize; the other viewing them as a community to nurture.
- One pushing to scale and exit; the other building a business for long-term legacy.
When values are at odds, no amount of compromise on surface issues can fix it.
Signs You’re Facing a Values Conflict with a Business Partner
In my work with growth-stage companies, I often see value collisions surface as small disagreements:
- “We just see marketing differently.”
- “He’s more conservative with spending than I am.”
- “She’s more focused on people than I think we can afford to be right now.”
These aren’t differences in style—they’re signals of deeper misalignment.
Patrick Lencioni, author of The Advantage, puts it this way:
“Core values are the deeply ingrained principles that guide all of a company’s actions; they serve as its cultural cornerstones.”
If you and your partner are building on different cornerstones, the foundation of your business is unstable.
Why Unresolved Value Collisions Destroy Business Partnerships
Left unaddressed, a value collision corrodes trust. Partners begin second-guessing each other’s motives. Decisions slow down. Execution suffers. And the team? They feel it. Culture deteriorates, turnover increases, and the business falters.
Lencioni warns,
“The absence of trust is the root cause of dysfunction in a team.”
When partners stop trusting one another, dysfunction isn’t just likely—it’s inevitable.
How to Resolve Partnership Misalignment Before It’s Too Late
1. Clarify Core Values Early
Don’t assume alignment because you both like the business idea. Get to the heart of why you’re in business and what matters most. Ask hard questions:
- What does success mean to you?
- How do we treat employees, clients, money, and mistakes?
- What would make you want to walk away?
This conversation can prevent years of conflict.
2. Discuss Exit Scenarios Upfront
Value collisions often come to a head when one partner is ready to exit, and the other is in it for the long haul. Clarify the desired outcomes:
- Do we both want to sell eventually?
- What’s the timeline for a potential exit?
- If one of us leaves, how does that process work?
3. Create a Decision-Making Framework
Michael Porter said,
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.”
When values collide, disagreements often surface as debates over what not to do. You need a process to handle these moments. Define:
- How will we make tough decisions when we disagree?
- What happens if we can’t reach a consensus?
- Who (or what process) breaks the tie?
4. Revisit and Realign Regularly
People change. Priorities evolve. Schedule regular conversations about values and alignment. Not quarterly performance reviews—values reviews. These talks ensure you’re still building the same business on the same foundation.
Final Thought: It’s Not About Right or Wrong
A value collision isn’t about who’s right. It’s about whether your values can coexist in the same business.
Michael Porter reminds us,
“A strategy delineates a territory in which a company seeks to be unique.”
If you and your partner can’t agree on that territory—or why it matters—you’re building two businesses under one roof. That’s not strategy. That’s chaos.
Key Takeaways
✔ A value collision happens when partners hold fundamentally different beliefs about what matters most.
✔ Left unresolved, value collisions erode trust and paralyze decision-making.
✔ Clarify core values early, create decision frameworks, and revisit alignment regularly to avoid costly breakdowns.
Ready to Clarify and Align Your Leadership Team?
If you’re considering entering a partnership or navigating one feeling “off,” let’s talk. I’ve helped leadership teams clarify values, align partnerships, and avoid costly breakdowns. Book a call.