Family meetings: a place for dialogue
Family meetings provide an intentional opportunity away from work and other commitments for the business-owning family to have important conversations.
The thickness of blood in family business (3 of 3)
Part 3: “The dinner party changed everything.” Things can turn into other things. People can become family. And, when those miracles happen, the good that flows feel boundless.
The thickness of blood in family business (2 of 3)
Part 2: “Doing business at the wedding.” In family business we often stand at crossroads. We ask, “Who will be our new CEO?” Or, “How shall we grow our business?”
The thickness of blood in family business (1 of 3)
Part 1: “Everyone gets it but the CEO.” In family business we often stand at crossroads. In these moments we seek guidance which, broadly speaking, comes from realms of the spiritual and of the empirical. Here, we focus on the spiritual.
The role of the board chair
Imagine you are an owner of a company and you set up a board of directors to help govern and guide the business. Do you take the role of board chair or do you identify someone else to take that role?
Family events: creating a collective memory
Family legacies are punctuated by events that stand out in the collective memory of the family. Some of these memorable events come as a crisis. Others are planned to accomplish specific purposes.
The gift of time
Although we are now living in a very stressed and uncertain climate, most of us have been given the gift of time. Those of us who are working from home are pretty much not leaving the house.
Safety in family business
I recently had meetings with several families where it became very clear that members of the family did not feel psychologically (or even physically) safe.
Communication within family businesses
Most of us, even while the other person is speaking, we are already working on our next point. And, more or less consciously, when we hear someone, we anticipate possible next words they might say.