Elements Of Problem
Every family business problem is unique, but most share some common features:
- Belonging and alienation - many families have a history of effort and sacrifice, inclusion and exclusion. Depending on the individuals involved, we spend varying amounts of time getting their stories out of the family members - talking about the family and the business and each person's place in both. We use this primarily to obtain background information and to create feelings of trust, validation and engagement. Individual family members usually get some comfort from our listening process, which seems to work for them as a form of narrative therapy.
- Generational tensions - these run up and down and sideways, mainly between parents and children and between siblings. It can be very hard to reconcile different work ethics, lifestyle expectations, cultural and educational conditioning and economic environments across generations. Add some inter-generational competition to the mix (eg: between father and son) to get an even more explosive combination!
- Emotional anguish - guilt flows freely when family relations rupture. Meanwhile staff become factionalised, disoriented and de-motivated through uncertainty about the future and a general loss of respect for the business owners who can't get their collective acts together.
- Leadership expectations - owners of the business (who are often strong leaders, rather than good managers) and are also heads of their family units, feel compelled to make wise decisions that do the right thing by business and family. Emotional and other personal factors can complicate decision-making and create enormous pressures. Sometimes, even the wisdom of Solomon wouldn't be enough to help!
- Commercial confusion - serious problems and conflicts are distracting. Family Business conflicts create a major diversion from the business of doing business. Continuing conflict in the family makes trading partners, financiers, staff and other stakeholders very nervous. Eventually they may lose all confidence in both the business and the family. There's only one way for the family and the business to go from there - and it's not up!
- Competitor danger - the sharks circle as the business bleeds. Unresolved challenges, problems and conflicts dramatically reduce the viability and value of a business. Suddenly the financial security and the family legacy that people have worked to build all their lives are at serious risk.
With such complex scenarios solutions are never going to be easy. They have to be worked on, but the goals - restoring family harmony and securing future business success - are surely the most important objectives on any family's radar screen?
Providing a legacy of peace and prosperity is one of the greatest blessings a family business proprietor can leave to his or her children. It is the difference between passing on a treasure or a prison . It's no coincidence that creating an atmosphere of peace and prosperity within a business is also considered to be best practice in today's business circles.
