50 Common Causes of Family Business Conflict ... and how to deal with them
50 Common Causes of Family Business Conflict ... and how to deal with them
Jon Kenfield
Family Business Mediator Podcast No 29: Rules of Engagement: Family to Business.
5 minutes Posted Jul 8, 2020 at 6:42 am.
0:00
5:28
Download MP3
Show notes

50 Common Causes of Family Business Conflict ... and how to deal with them


Audio No 29. Rules of Engagement: Family to Business.

• Family business = private business > legal & practical ability to do whatever.

• Founder generation often doesn’t feel the need to formalise policies and procedures because they have complete control.

• Entrepreneurial founders may be very business-focused and largely non-empathetic towards staff needs.

• Most people prefer certainty to uncertainty, even if certainty creates pain.

• Lack of clarity, about almost anything, is a common cause of conflict, especially when individuals feel disempowered, insecure and threatened - a possible result of business culture.

• Rules of engagement are an attempt, to look objectively at how things should be done all the time, and especially during crises.

• Best to develop rules, and enforcement provisions, when opinions aren’t being skewed by emotions and stress.

• Family Rules of Engagement in respect of the business are captured in written Family Policies, Family Constitutions & Charters of Mutual Obligations.

• Solution: develop formal written rules, including implementation & enforcement procedures, via an inclusive process.

I'm interested in your comments below.

Thank You
#familybusiness #business #conflict

• Family business = private business > legal & practical ability to do whatever.

• Founder generation often doesn’t feel the need to formalise policies and procedures because they have complete control.

• Entrepreneurial founders may be very business-focused and largely non-empathetic towards staff needs.

• Most people prefer certainty to uncertainty, even if certainty creates pain.

• Lack of clarity, about almost anything, is a common cause of conflict, especially when individuals feel disempowered, insecure and threatened - a possible result of business culture.

• Rules of engagement are an attempt, to look objectively at how things should be done all the time, and especially during crises.

• Best to develop rules, and enforcement provisions, when opinions aren’t being skewed by emotions and stress.

• Family Rules of Engagement in respect of the business are captured in written Family Policies, Family Constitutions & Charters of Mutual Obligations.

• Solution: develop formal written rules, including implementation & enforcement procedures, via an inclusive process.

I'm interested in your comments below.

Thank You

#familybusiness #business #conflict