We all experience moments of hurt feelings from time to time, which is natural and even healthy. The issue arises when we find ourselves in a state of lingering anger, resentment, or unfriendliness. Not being friendly can become problematic for the entire family or your non-family employees. Poor attitudes and harsh words can cause lasting damage to everyone involved.
It’s important to accept the fact that in a family business there will be different opinions, ideas, and perspectives. Learning to navigate through these differences, without becoming cynical, is crucial for maintaining a healthy environment.
In my experience with family business, I often found myself holding differing opinions than Uncle Tim. However, during family dinners and holiday events, I consistently greeted him with warmth, love, and a genuine hug.
Everyone in your family business understands that the business can be challenging. If those in the family business show up at family events with a chip on their shoulder, it can create a negative vibe for everyone present.
Take the High Road!
Take the high road and leave your business differences at the door when you walk out of the office every evening. By doing so, you’ll be doing yourself and your family a huge favor.
Consider the matriarch who is celebrating her 80th birthday and would love to have her sons join her and her husband for dinner. However, disagreements at work have spilled over into the family dynamic. Even though Mom wants them at the dinner, she knows that if they attend with a chip on their shoulder, it will spoil the celebration for everyone.
How many more birthday dinners might Mom have? It’s disheartening that she can’t enjoy dinner with her family because some family members haven’t learned to rise above the inherent differences that arise in business every day.
Think about it and make a commitment to building this resilience. Consider it a gift to yourself and your family. Let me know if you need help practicing and being held accountable.
Here’s a video I thought you might enjoy about being personable. It could be the first step toward becoming more friendly.
Coach Pete
Pete Walsh offers family business consulting services, workshops, tools and resources as the founder of the Family Business Performance Center. Subscribe to his newsletter or get in touch to get actionable insights to help your family business grow for generations to come.
