Family and Management

On entrepreneur.com, there was an article about managing a business while working with family.  According to the article, there is always room for error when dealing with family in business.  Some family members may slack on their work because they are family, some may pick arguments and fights with others because they know what buttons to push, and some do not know how to leave personal matters at the door.  Some may intertwine personal and business life at home or at the office and some may want to do things their way even if it is slow and ancient.  While all of this seems to be a bit much and stressful, but a good manager can have these things flow a tad bit easier.  The article gives four points to make this flow smoothly.  First, play each family member’s strength.  Define the roles, never overstep authority and decide which family member is better at what.  Second, keep personal matters out of the business.  It is family and family knows everything; however, they can never make a presence in the workplace, it will only complicate things.  Third, be understanding of the generational divide, meaning find a happy medium between the things the older and younger family members can deal with without causing confusion.  Lastly, separate personal from professional time.  Do not discuss personal information at the business and vice versa.  Everyone needs a break and it also decreases problems in the office.

There was another interesting article regarding management of business from a family perspective only this one was a little different.  Suppose you and your spouse were in business together and things had been going well.  As time goes on things on the personal end tend fall by the wayside and you all have come to the conclusion that you need a divorce.  How is it you all can run a business while going through or even after the divorce?  Entreprenier.com sums up what they feel are key ways to avoid a travesty in the workplace.  First, create a division between legal, financial, and emotional issues.  Do not bring the emotions, finances, and legalities to the workplace.  This is a difficult time because both worlds are about to change drastically.  However, it must kept professional at all times.  Secondly, do not go through this alone; always have someone in your corner whether it be a friend or family member.  Preferably it should be no one at work because you never want to mix business and personal matters together.  Thirdly take a break meaning you all should not be there at the same place if possible.  One should take sometime off so you all can be apart.  It would be greatly positive for both parties.  Fourthly, define your roles, which consist of redefining you and your spouse’s relationship.  You all have to find a way to work with each other without crossing boundaries.  In this process, you all will be able to find out whether you all can continue to work together or not.  Fifthly, give yourself an out meaning, try out and see if working together can continue.  If it does work, great keep in going; however, if it ever becomes too much or you all decided you cannot work together, create a method where once could leave the company and not be forced to stay there.  Lastly it is very important to accept an evolving relationship as you all move forward.  Know that whatever decision you all make in the beginning does not have to be final so if you all feel that working together does not work out, it’s okay.  Give yourself time.

 Managing needless to say is not always an easy task and can sometimes be very stressful.  A good manager will know how to deal with both situations accordingly.  It is important in either of these situations, as manager you take care of yourself first and business.  If you are not one hundred percent, your business cannot be and vice versa.  Both of these article present key points for being managers in these situations.  Hopefully neither one of the situations occur, but should it ever hopefully you will know how to deal with it.  They also can coincide and help function even when these situations do not occur.  I think all of the points in both articles will help a manager effectively manage any business.  Speaking as a former manager, these are point or qualities that are needed on a regular basis.

http://m.entreprenuer.com/article/231742

http://m.entrepreneur.com/article225916