Here are 5 fundamental rules for effective listening. As Stephen R. Covey once said, “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” For anyone in business, (and we add ‘especially in family business’) feeling like your voice isn’t being heard is a motivational killer. Here’s what […]
In between The Peer Alliance forum meetings, we hold interim video conference calls. Forum members provide updates to one another and insight into current opportunities and challenges. In a recent call, we talked about a paradox of leadership- “Benevolent Dictator” vs. “Consensus Builder.” The former can certainly be effective and efficient, yet can also build […]
Disagreements and arguments between family members are inevitable. Disagreements and arguments between family members who work together are “more so.” Standard protocol for resolution is an apology. Sometimes it’s an expression of regret for having had the argument; sometimes it’s an admission of guilt. But that’s not where an apology needs to end. There’s one […]
We often suggest that “self-awareness” is the most important attribute of leadership. It takes time and effort to reflect on who we are, what we want and need, how we feel, react and behave in a variety of situations, and our other capacities on a personal, family and business level. This doesn’t require spending hours […]
Again and again, in working with business families, the subject of “trust” arises. Sometimes it’s about intent and fairness, sometimes it’s about consistency, and sometimes it’s about honesty. Some colleagues of ours, Tom Hubler and Ernesto Poza, perform research and write articles around “trust.” They offer the following definition: “Trust is not an article of […]
Just read another brief article by Daniel Goleman on Mindfulness: an antidote for workplace ADD. This has great application to family enterprise leaders, where ADD/ADHD appears to run rampant. The presence of electronic distractions and more not only takes us away from some fundamental tasks we try to perform, they command a priority in our […]
Parents are having children at a later age; how does this impact the future of family enterprise? One newspaper article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9928198/Are-older-parents-putting-our-future-at-risk.html claims “American women have their first babies has risen by four years since 1970, up to 25. In Japan – where adult incontinence pads now outsell nappies – it is 29… But nowhere is […]
A close friend of mine sent this to me and I thought it was worth sharing. How to Be Gracious, and Why In business, the little things — a favor acknowledged , a favor returned, proper introductions, smiles, attentiveness — are really the big things By Tom Chiarella Published in the May 2013 issue Graciousness […]
Have you ever been hit by a snowball? Has any of the snow lingered in its gradual passage from a frozen substance to a liquid one? Does it sting? Let’s see if there’s a metaphor here for enterprising family members and others with whom we’re close. In our relationships with others, we’re bound to get […]
When we think about our family business, we do so from our own perspectives. It’s typically about how we see our mission, our vision, our strategy, our culture, our people, product and service. A recent article by Dharmesh Shah, Founder and CTO at HubSpot, is entitled “How To Find A Company You’ll Love Working For” […]