Tag: family business conflict

Why Families and Their Firms Behave Badly

Sometimes the worst behavior happens for all the right reasons. Putting "family first" can jeopardize the business's health and longevity. EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was produced in partnership Read more

Attitudes Towards Money Can Cloud Family Business Decisions

In our work with business families, we encounter a wide range of approaches for establishing financial targets and making financial business decisions. Interestingly, such practices often diverge Read more

Managing Emotional Minefields Within Family Businesses

Adam looked at the customer standing at the counter in the wine cellar in disbelief. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He found the customer’s comments to be slightly rude. Adam felt anger Read more

Why Do We Treat Strangers Better Than Family Members?

A big relationship problem can affect not only family businesses, but also our personal lives: We often treat friends, acquaintances, and even strangers better than our own family members. In this Read more

Family Firms May Need More Legal Advice Than They Think

Families are often reluctant to anticipate and plan for the day when an unexpected transition might upend their business. The costs of inaction are high. EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was produced in Read more

How to Defuse and Recover From Family Business Conflict

The emotional conflicts that beset family businesses can be difficult to weather. Heidi Vermeer-Quist, a clinical psychologist, family business consultant, and third-generation shareholder of her Read more

Succession, Money, and Relationships Were Top-10 Topics in 2023

FamilyBusiness.org aspires to be the #1 peer-reviewed resource for thought leadership in family business for owners and leaders, students, and professors. To achieve this goal, we are building a Read more

Punishment, Reward, Control: How Money Shows Up in the Business Family

In popular culture, the portrayal of family businesses in movies and TV shows, such as Ridley Scott’s "House of Gucci" or HBO’s "Succession," often revolves around the pursuit of wealth and the Read more

Good Intentions Can Sow Dysfunction at Family Businesses

People wear many hats at family businesses: owners, managers, and family members. All too often, says family business advisor Sara B. Stern, they're thinking like family members rather than owners Read more

Do You Treat In-Laws Like the Family Business Outlaws ?

Have you heard this before? “If it wasn’t for my in-laws, our family would be fine!” Such frustrated statements are typically followed by rants about how someone spends too lavishly, does not Read more