Common Causes of Family Business Conflict & What to Do About Them.
Family Business Mediation Video No 38. Sibling Rivalry.
By Jon Kenfield. Solutionist.
• Often caused by family circumstances and parenting styles, exacerbated by distractions of family business.
• Perceived or actual parental favouritism.
• Differences in temperament and personality.
• Jealousy over parental love.
• Parental modelling of conflict styles – normalising / reinforcing aggression and lack of conflict resolution skills – parents ignore conflict and teasing.
• Viewing the sibling as a competitor rather than a collaborator.
• Protection of weaker family members – bird with broken wing.
• Preferring and advancing one child over the other in business.
Solution
• Psychometric testing – science of personality differences.
• Establish objective and commercial objectivity in the business – performance, merit and contribution, rather than bloodline.
• Separate business support (performance-based) from family support (personal needs based).
• Have family members supervised and mentored by non-family staff / directors etc.
