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Family Business is an Oxymoron Part 3 - Respect the Sanctity of Family
September 12, 2008
Most family businesses are out of balance in one direction or the other. Achieving balance is a matter of understanding the contradictory environments and dealing with family baggage. Another key element to achieving balance is developing and maintaining respect for the sanctity of the family.
Respect the Sanctity of the Family
Great families don’t just happen. The development of great families requires intentional repeated effort, and usually takes us significantly out of our comfort zones. Most business leaders do not spend adequate time considering and working on the family issues that hinder them from greatness for various reasons such as:
- Believing in the misconception that a successful family business and a great family business are synonymous. They believe in the axiom, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”
- Practicing the fine art of image management. Since they have a successful business, they erroneously believe that “others must assume that our family has it all together…I couldn’t bear to let them down.”
Mentalities such as these often hinder business leaders from being proactive in dealing with issues that may not currently exist on the surface, but that lie in wait for the moment they will ambush the family. Clearly, there are a multitude of reasons to avoid addressing the familial issues as they impact the business and family get-togethers. True family leaders don’t cower in the face of family challenges. Instead, they boldly engage the family in dialogue and interactions that can at times be incredibly emotionally trying and nearly impossible.
The painful truth to be reckoned with is, family issues end up driving business decisions, thereby throwing the family business out of balance. One of the keys to striking a balance is developing and maintaining respect for the sanctity of the family. Fight for your relationships, communication can be difficult, but you will become a better family and business for it.
Posted by Jeff Faulkner on September 12, 2008 | Comments (0)
