Tension has a negative connotation in the English language. In business, negative tensions can be observed in many ways, such as office politics, silent meetings, malicious compliance, and outright fear or anger. The intent of organizational design is the alignment of the company’s resources and organizations to work efficiently toward the common objectives of the enterprise.

Interorganizational tension, while one of the most observable commercial forces that leaders must manage, in far too many cases, is the most troublesome to optimize. Why? Because tensions are often created by uncoordinated and contradictory, detached decisions—opportunistic acquisitions, insular sales compensation schemes, or subjective performance policies—that intersect with the most difficult thing to understand…human nature.

While competition between employees and departments or functions is natural, survival of the fittest inside an enterprise does not lead to desired outcomes. Trust is critical to forming healthy and beneficial relationships, both between individuals and across functional teams. But once trust is broken, it can rarely be repaired.

As the authors of the pivotal book on digital transformation, Respect the Weeds: Digital Transformation Rooted in Principled Leadership, Vision, and Innovation, we bring our practical and implementable advice to the topic of interorganizational tension: what it is and what it is not; how to spot it in your organiza­tion; and how to apply grounded leadership principles to harness those forces for the good of the enterprise. Through a combination of innovative tools, use cases, and real-world experienc­es, we strive to provide you with an entirely new way to look at your business and how it truly functions. We will help you bridge the divide between intent and execution across high-performance teams without trying to boil a proverbial ocean of questionable business decisions or rewrite the human equation.

As with Respect the Weeds, this book is not intended to be a playbook or blueprint for universal application. We recognize that every organi­zation presents leaders with a unique set of business objectives, competencies, structures, and cultures. We have structured this book to allow the reader the room to tap into their transformation challeng­es and professional experiences and arm themselves with the practical and transformative tools and methodologies provided. In Chapter 1, we set the stage by presenting an unconventional way to look at how organizations interact, digging beneath the lines and boxes of an org chart while challenging the reader to look at the true root causes and effects of tensions within and between organizations. Chapters 2 and 3 dive into the theory and impact of tension on an enterprise and its growth ambitions, as well as offer techniques to analyze and visualize said tensions. In Chapter 4, we examine the omnipresent scenario of acquisition as an extreme use of our approach. In the final chapters, we examine the implications for leadership and the considerations required to manage such fundamental change. Along the way, we will share some success stories and cautionary tales that we hope will provide the opportunity for reflection and inspiration.