Today, there are so many books and articles on excellence in leadership that it is astounding engagement levels are running at barely 50%, costing this country $33 billion annually. Maybe we should find some courses and write some books on poor leadership and see if it makes any difference. (more…)
Archive for the ‘Family Business’ Category
Etiquette – For Family Business working Together
October 2nd, 2009 by Kathryn Conder
There is much discussion about ethics in business, and of course it is important, but etiquette, sometimes seen as being old fashioned, has a key role to play, particularly in a family business.
Doing business with family and friends can be very rewarding. It can also be very complicated and difficult. To be successful, it always involves an even more stringent standard of etiquette than usual.
But if appropriate measures and safeguards are taken, it can make life, work and relationships a rich, rewarding tapestry that brings the best of both worlds. (more…)
When should we collaborate?
September 15th, 2009 by Paul Smith
Collaboration is a powerful business tool that can create the spark to help transform organisations.
Today most commentators place coordination, cooperation and collaboration under the single banner of collaboration. But the important skill is knowing when to collaborate, cooperate or coordinate.
The 8 Best Practices of successful multi-generational families
August 12th, 2009 by Paul Smith
“Successful multi-generational families are just as concerned with the quality of their relationships with other family members as they are with financial measures – good governance can help the next generation build on these relationships.”
The Best Way Forward – A Summary of Best Practice
A requirement for the family and the business to operate professionally in their dealings with stakeholders – and especially each other – should be adopted as a key best practice outcome. This produces the “Three Cs” of family business:
- Clarity – what we are doing and why
- Certainty – how and when we are doing it
- Commitment – who is responsible for doing what we’ve agreed to do to achieve this clarity and certainty
These are already fundamental indicators used in the corporate world, supported by appropriate levels of detail, depending on the business. Companies have detailed plans for strategy, business planning, operations and delivery. Families need the same things, appropriately converted for family consumption, at levels that suit the individual family.
Communicating in Family Business – and the Facilitator
July 2nd, 2009 by Paul Smith
Reminders for why we communicate and what we want to achieve!
- To be understood – to get something across so that the other person/s knows exactly what we mean
- To understand the other person/s and to get to know their exact meaning and intentions
- To gain acceptance for ourself and/or our ideas
- To produce action – to get the other person/s to understand what is expected, when it is needed, why it is necessary and sometimes how to do it
The Facilitator’s Role is to:
- Provide safety – so that all family members can get the individual help they need to successfully manage themselves in difficult discussions – and talk about their difficulties
- Track the process and help the family stay on task – often this can be a challenge when there are strong emotional reactions that make it hard for the family members to stay focussed
- Help contain the conflicts and manage emotions – facilitators need to notice and respond to emotions in family members including those who may not be part of the immediate problem
- Provide reality testing. It is easy to become so involved in the family’s “web” and lose perspective
