This is a conversation with Lauren Bronson Petrous, a former senior consultant at Accenture, who now leads the advisory firm Boundless & Co. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Conflict’s inevitable. We’re all going to have it. How is everyone so terrified of it?
That was the question that kept coming up during my time as a senior consultant at Accenture.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked with executives and senior leaders across industries, from media companies to international consulting firms. One pattern has become clear: Regardless of title, many leaders struggle to navigate difficult conversations and receive feedback — both essential to building a successful company where people want to work
At Accenture, I saw people leading teams on $10 million contracts who could not address difficult clients or colleagues. Sometimes I would sit in meetings with senior leaders where no one was really achieving anything because no one was willing to address the elephant in the room. Then there were those who were not afraid to say direct things, but did so without grace, timing, or care.
I joined Accenture after earning a master’s degree in organizational change from Northwestern. One of my professors had pitched me to the firm without my knowing. I went through the interview process and got an offer, but I initially said no because I wanted to start my own gig. The firm told me they thought I could do phenomenal work, so I joined as a senior consultant.
Accenture is a machine. After onboarding and training, the firm identifies people based on their skill sets and determines which projects they should be on. It is partly about capacity — who is available — but also about who is most skilled for a particular client. You would meet with a client, and if they liked you and it worked well, you would start the project.
I often led teams. A lot of my work involved organizational change, team development, and leadership development.
Across my career, I’ve noticed that talented people do not necessarily have leadership skills. Many companies hire for talent and high performance, then put people into managerial or leadership roles without giving them the skills to lead. They are expected to handle conflict, develop their team, and be a boss people actually respect.
I left Accenture in December 2023 to start Boundless & Co., a coaching and consulting firm. I decided to leave because I wanted to help clients in a more tailored, customized way and address root issues such as navigating conflict, unresolved tension, and avoidance that often stunt company culture and momentum.
Now, about half of my work is leadership-development coaching, and about half is helping companies resolve conflict. I often work with cofounders or senior leaders who are considering dismantling a $10 million or $50 million company because they cannot agree on how to lead it.
Resolution does not mean we are all holding hands and becoming best friends. It means both people can walk away with clarity about how to move forward.
