Most business partnerships don't break in one moment. They drift — slowly, quietly — through the conversations that never get had.

In this episode, Tom Foxley breaks down a real coaching case: a co-founder running a growing business who was going around his business partner instead of through him.

Keeping the energy alive by avoiding the friction. Watching a small disconnect become a serious risk.

Tom unpacks the three psychological layers underneath the avoidance — including the personality mismatch most founders misread, the identity threat running silently in the background, and the fear of conflict disguised as protecting momentum.

You'll also hear how Tom uses the VIEW framework (Vulnerability, Impartiality, Empathy, Wonder) to help clients prepare for the high-stakes conversations they keep deferring.

If you have a business partner, a key team member, or anyone in your world you're tiptoeing around — this episode will show you why capacity beats control, and what to do about it this week.

Topics covered:

- Why high performers avoid conflict (and what it's really protecting)

- The personality dynamic you're misreading as disrespect

- The VIEW framework for direct, clean conversations

- Capacity over control — the principle that changes everything

- One action to take before the end of the week