One of our clients has a sign up in their headquarters that reads, “As far as everyone knows, we’re a big happy family.” It’s a reminder not only of how they want the world to see them, but how they want to see themselves, no matter what the reality is, a tacit acknowledgement that no family is perfect.
Avoiding Conflict Will Only Hurt Your Family Business
Beware the corrosive effects of fake harmony.
October 05, 2022
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Summary.
Disagreement in a family business is natural over time. As a family grows, interests diverge and individual family members’ relationships with the business can change. It’s healthy and expected for individual owners (or future owners) to have difference perspectives. So, the desire to quash those perspectives, rather than risk rocking the boat with differences of opinion, is often counterproductive. If your family isn’t discussing any competing ideas, you’re likely avoiding conversations about important issues. This fake harmony can be far more damaging than the fireworks type of conflict, because it causes families to avoid making difficult, but important, decisions about the business or the family. This article discusses the signs of fake harmony that you should watch for, as well as tools for overcoming it.