DEVELOPING BOUNDARIES IN A FAMILY
BUSINESS
by Jerry I. Kleiman, Ph.D. & R. Phillip Colon, Ph.D. [1]
There is a famous story about a father calling his son into the office.
The father is wearing a two billed baseball cap with separately embroidered
emblems saying ‘boss’ and ‘father’. The parent first addresses his son with the
‘boss’ side worn to fore and says “Steven, as your boss I have bad news. You
are fired.” He then rotates the cap and says, “Son, is there anything I can do
to help you?” This story illustrates the complexities that arise when two
separate entities, the family and the business, have overlapping
membership.
Each separate system,
the family and the business, has its own rules, expectations and role
responsibilities. It is where the membership of each overlaps that each member
has dual roles with potentially divergent goals, codes of conduct and
proscribed behavior. The responsibilities of parent/child/sibling or spouse can
compete and at times conflict with those of boss/co-leader/employee. It is
critical to the success of both the family and the business to keep
clear boundaries, expectations, role descriptions, responsibilities, and codes
of conduct. Confusion can lead to
conflict , poor business decisions and deteriorating family relationships .
Here are some suggestions for maintaining clear boundaries around the business
and the family:
Identify
and specify practical roles and expectations.
Practice
effective communication aimed at reconciling thoughts and feelings. Remaining
silent about issues can accentuate conflict, polarize positions and disrupt
both family and business relationships.
Recognize
that divergent thinking can be experienced as conflict even though closer
examination would reveal similar goals.
Nurture
family relationships so that needs best fulfilled within the family remain the
province of the family and not of the business.
Have
regularly scheduled family and business meetings.
When upset, take an inventory of your feelings.
Ask yourself
If what you are feeling is consistent with what
is going on. If not, you may be responding to family issues rather
than to business matters.
[1] Drs. Kleiman and