Abstract
While top management team (TMT) intragroup conflict is a known phenomenon, little is known about how chief executive officers (CEOs) perceive the way they process TMT intragroup conflict. Drawing on upper echelons theory (UET) and information processing theory (IPT), as well as TMT and CEO-TMT interface literature, this generic qualitative study explored how CEOs perceived the way they process intragroup conflict generated within their TMT. Five CEOs with experience leading a TMT reporting directly to them, consisting of no fewer than five members, within U.S.-based organizations employing between 250 and 80,000 employees in the finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education sectors participated. Data collection was achieved via semistructured interviews. From the collected data, 26 conceptual codes were grouped into six categories. Three major themes were discovered. CEOs of U.S.-based organizations interpret interpersonal behavioral signals as indicative of TMT intragroup conflict activity; leverage adaptive intervention approaches to mitigate TMT intragroup conflict escalation; and rely on semistructured information assimilation to enhance understanding. The AIRIAL Intragroup Conflict Processing Framework (AIRIAL ICPF) solution was created to improve intragroup conflict processing understanding and provide a process CEOs can put into practice for processing TMT intragroup conflict. Recommendations include the AIRIAL ICPF 360 developmental assessment tool, AIRIAL ICPF-integrated executive coaching, and AIRIAL ICPF-infused learning and development experiences.