Family Business 2
Some family businesses seem to evolve with little problem. Others get caught up in the challenges of resolving dissatisfaction with one of the family. Frequently there is a difference in age, a difference in motivation and a difference in vision. In a regular business if there is not a mesh, it’s much easier to terminate the relationship. In a family business, family will always be family. Other considerations are at stake.
Sometimes people try to get the family member to change. James Lea has a blog article about some of the challenges of working toward change in a family business.
He says,
First is the honest recognition that change is needed now. The classic ostrich posture may be comfortable, but it’s unattractive and unproductive.
The second is courage. Change is often scary. Also, almost no one wants to accept change that cuts across the grain of his preferences and pleasures, so sometimes change must be driven into place.
Third is a willingness to change — to give up familiar, if only marginally effective, ways of running the business and relating to the family — to make room for something new, different and better.
I have a client whose father started the business and is still involved even though he doesn’t take a salary and is starting to fail. According to my client the only thing keeping him going is his involvement in the business. He lost his wife several years ago and this is all he has. She cannot take the job he’s doing away from him. But she can pick up the parts that he’s starting to fall down on. Little by little he will have less and less responsibility, but will still be involved.
In this case change cannot be forced, it must be directed over time, sometimes without necessarily having agreement.
