Special Issue: Your Relationships

February 13, 2023 - Issue #83

Too Much Love in the Family Can Hurt Strong family relationships are good for business, but being too insular will blind the family to great ideas from the outside and actually hurt return on equity.

Getting Along: Straight Talk from a Family Business Veteran Trust people. Walk around a lot so you meet more non-relatives. And don't show off your new car when the firm is tightening the belt.

Family Emotions Can Drive Business Decisions Because personal and business dynamics are so closely intertwined, private disagreements and personal histories inevitably spill over into the business.

Divorce Can Hollow out a Family Business — But it Doesn’t Have to It’s surprising how many business-owning families fail to properly plan for this worst case scenario. Here's advice from two experts about protecting the business.

Family CEO Burnout: How to Prevent, Recognize and Deal With It How can leaders keep themselves from getting worn down or recognize burnout in themselves? And what should family members do if they see their leader struggling?

'Let’s Not Go There...' Taboos in Family Business Many families dare not discuss certain topics because they want to preserve the illusion of harmony and unity. But these taboo topics are bound to erupt sooner or later.

LVMH Billionaire is Keeping it in the Family

Bernard Arnault, the world's richest man, talks about his plans for his heirs in this Wall Street Journal video.

February 2023

What Families in Conflict Can Learn from Baseball and Teachers Using a hybrid of mediation and arbitration offers a real chance to preserve family relationships during a difficult period of conflict.

How Family Firms Can Prevent (or Cool Down) Sibling Rivalries Koch Industries, McCain Foods and Robert Mondavi were all roiled by sibling battles. These three strategies will help you prevent it.

Future Family Business Owners Can Learn to Manage Conflict This classroom exercise dissects the five approaches to managing disputes, and their likely outcomes.

Search & Save Enter search below to create an easy reading list

How Family Business Leaders Can Encourage Both Devotion and Performance

Women Can Help Family Firms Innovate – but Socioemotional Factors Matter

When Is a Family Business Leader Too Old?

A False Sense of Urgency Helps Neither Family Nor Business

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Recent

The Next Generation Can Help the Family Firm Innovate

by Richard Schulze and Ritch Sorenson / Commentary

Best Buy Founder Richard Shulze and Ritch Sorenson of the University of St. Thomas explore the opportunities that come with a changing of the guard. Read more...

How Founders Can Stay Relevant When the Next Gen Takes Over

by Kimberly Eddleston / Interviews

A family business advisor says a change in leadership is like passing the baton in a relay race. Don't let go too abruptly. Read more...

Single Family Offices as Owners: Long-Term Investors or Financial Optimizers?

by Joern Block, Reza Fathollahi, and Onur Eroglu / Research Insight

The capital structure of a firm determines its financial viability and creditworthiness. Families should understand how ownership influences this structure. Read more...

Family Business Stories Build a Legacy For the Next Generation

by Kimberly Eddleston / Interviews

Books, websites, videos and blogs can capture a family business's saga, with all its challenges and triumphs, and shape a powerful legacy. Read more...

Trending

How to Plan for a Successful Succession

by Richard Eisenberg

How Family Dynamics Shape Family Businesses

by Joseph Astrachan and Claudia Binz Astrachan

How to Run a Family Business Successfully

by Kerry Hannon

Family Business Succession: Your Questions Answered

by Kimberly Eddleston and Mat Hughes

Managing Emotional Minefields Within Family Businesses

by Dr. Ayoosha Saleem, Francesco Barbera, Simon de Jong, and Arvid Hoffmann

Family Business Budget Planning: 7 Things to Consider