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Business Consulting

2002-09-01 10:07:00

Oh brother... in business

QUESTION:  For years, our family business has rescued my older brother and given him a job.  Lately, with the downturn in the economy, there is a great deal of tension in the office concerning his ability to function on the job.  I'm concerned we'll lose some key employees over this issue.  Do you have any ideas?

ANSWER:  I'll bet you wish you could wave a magic wand and find the right answer for both your brother and the business. The good news is - you are not alone.  Many family businesses find themselves in a struggle like yours - family first or business first? Historically, we've found that you do not have to pit one against the other to resolve your dilemma. Ask and resolve the following two key questions and you will probably find an answer that will satisfy both your brother and the business.  Question:  Is your brother in the right role?  Answer:  Sometimes a family member evolves into a job that does not fit their interests and talents.  This person "puts in their time"  - with a mediocre performance the end result. Career assessments and coaching often help family members find more meaningful roles in a different position within the company.  Sometimes, a family member decides their true desire is a career outside of the family business.  In these instances, the family (and the business) can often encourage the transition to a more fulfilling job.  Question: In either case, the second question to pose is to ask how the family goes about expressing their concerns with a family member and finding an answer that meets both family and business needs.Answer:  The process to unlocking these answers has two key considerations.  First, establish a means of communication that allows all individuals a healthy discussion on the issues.  Second, keep at the communication process until the issues have been resolved and decisions have been made.  Often, families in business develop certain patterns of communication that neither allow for open dialogue for all parties or the communication process is stopped at the first sign of "trouble" and people don't go through the difficult, but critical, discomfort of dealing with hard issues.  I would suggest you even consider using a facilitator or "communications expert" that is familiar with family business dynamics.Unfortunately, there are those instances where family members are truly disruptive and even detrimental to the business interests.  In these cases, it's critical that the family recognize when the business is at risk because of a family member's behavior and deal with it directly, yet compassionately.  This may mean telling a family member that they need to seek employment elsewhere.  Or it may mean that the family provides resources to help an individual deal with issues hindering their performance in all areas of life (i.e. addiction treatment, marriage counseling, etc.).   Remember, it is critical to make sure your business remains healthy, even if it means an uncomfortable discussion with your family members. Your company is too important for you to ignore the obvious. The risk of not confronting negative behaviors that put your business in jeopardy is too great! We only have to look at the family that owned Adelphia to see the darkest side of family businesses. In that case, the poor behavior of family members has helped lead the company to bankruptcy.