Communication and Conflict Management

Watch Professor John Davis of Harvard Business School talk about the importance of communication and the discipline of addressing conflict in family business. When dealing with issues in a family business, it is important to look beyond the symptoms, and understand what is causing a given problem. Consistent communication among family members is essential for the success of a business.

Most families in business are uncomfortable if you sit them down and say, “Let us talk about how you communicate.” Now helping them with good communication, with good problem-solving process, with simple things like how to listen to one another. It is not simple but I mean they are simple concepts, that are not simple to do, are fundamental typically in helping them build a better system so that they can function better in business. Sometimes, CEOs are hesitant to talk about the family issues, or really talk about the family issues. The presenting issues that they give you are usually accurate but often not deep enough they are usually focused more on symptoms than causes.