Why teams need difference: Embracing Tension for sustainable success

Startups are on a fast track. On the journey to market fit and profitability, teams experience friction clarifying their direction to success.

If we view a company as a system, similar to how our body is a system of interacting and dependent parts working together to maintain homeostasis and sustainable operations, we have a clear lens of why this friction is actually a necessary part of growth and development for a company.

Healthy systems are designed to hold tensions, not eliminate them. Rather than seeing these tensions as obstacles, we can view them as critical forces that shape a company’s ability to adapt and thrive.

Let’s explore how these tensions benefit systems, how people hold pieces of these polarities, and how embracing this balancing act leads to sustainable growth. 

The value of tension in systems:

Tension exists in every system—between short-term and long-term focus, innovation and stability, speed and quality. These differences aren’t just challenges to resolve; they fuel adaptability and resilience when approached effectively.

A strong organization recognizes and balances these perspectives, allowing each to inform the other rather than compete. When teams can hold multiple perspectives at once, they gain the ability to shift between immediate needs and big-picture strategy as circumstances require.

Tensions as Catalysts for Growth

It’s tempting to frame tensions as obstacles or try to resolve them by eliminating one side in favor of the other. But when a team overcommits to a single perspective, it risks rigidity and blind spots.

For example, one team member might focus on immediate customer needs, while another prioritizes sustainable growth. If these perspectives become entrenched in opposition, it can lead to splitting, where trust erodes and adaptability suffers.

A great example of this tension is the Fast, Good, Cheap framework. In any product or system, you can typically optimize for two, but not all three, at the same time. To get the quality needed for a "good" product, you may have to spend more money or sacrifice speed. These trade-offs aren’t just constraints—they reflect the real needs of the business. Customers expect a balance of speed, quality, and price, while the business itself must generate enough revenue to sustain and grow. Navigating these tensions effectively requires negotiation, alignment with goals, and adaptability over time.

When teams acknowledge and work with these tensions rather than against them, they gain range. This dynamic adaptability is what allows companies to navigate uncertainty and scale effectively.

Building a Team That Thrives in Tension

1. Reveal and Name Tensions

Start by identifying the key tensions at play in your business—speed vs. quality, execution vs. innovation, short-term vs. long-term focus. Recognizing these as natural parts of the business reframes friction as something to engage with, rather than avoid.

2. Understand Each Person’s Role

Individuals and roles often hold different perspectives within a system. Some may naturally advocate for risk-taking, while others focus on stability. When teams understand who is holding which perspective and why, it fosters mutual respect and prevents unnecessary conflict. Personality testing can help give teams a framework and common language for this.

3. Make Tension Visible, Not Personal

When disagreements arise, shift the conversation from personal conflict to systemic dynamics. Instead of seeing tensions as individual roadblocks, frame them as insights into the organization’s needs. This externalizes the issue and creates space for strategic discussion. Use the activity in this article to tackle splitting.

4. Get Support to Navigate Complex Tensions

This can be a new way of collaborating, and a coach can help teams surface and integrate multiple perspectives, preventing tensions from becoming sources of conflict. Rather than letting competing viewpoints cause frustration, skilled facilitation helps leaders leverage them for better decision-making and long-term growth.

Embracing Tension as a Growth Strategy

Tension is not a sign of dysfunction—it’s a sign of depth and complexity in your organization. Every person on your team holds a valuable piece of the whole. Learning to honor and integrate these perspectives builds resilient systems that adapt and grow through challenges.

Embrace tension as a source of creativity, innovation, and strength. And if you need help untangling the perspectives at play in your company, reach out.