5 min
Family Business Mediation Video No 50. Cuckoo Consultants. 50 Common Causes of Family Business Conflict ... and how to deal with them
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- Management
50 Common Causes of Family Business Conflict and how to deal with them.
Family Business Mediation Video No 50. Cuckoo Consultants.
By Jon Kenfield. Family Business Mediator. Solutionist.
• This video is unique amongst the 50 in this series in that it looks to an entirely external conflict generator that can act upon the family - as opposed to the other 49 causes, where the family does its own great job of creating its very own conflict.
• Cuckoo consultants come into family business environments, usually from a business background, sporting business-based credentials and perspectives. They create confusion and conflict by promoting perfectly appropriate business advice to the wrong people, in the wrong way.
• They sound sensible, logical and commercial, but their advice is completely unworkable.
• The problem lies in their ignorance of the unique requirements of family business - much as a cuckoo has no concern for the eggs it turfs out of a host nest to make space for its own egg.
• Cuckoos can be existing trusted advisers, keen to protect their clients from outside consultants (the flea wishes to own the dog); consultants from HR or “normal” business backgrounds who believe they have the required experience and skills; advisers who don’t know what they don’t know; or ones who just don’t care.
Solution
• Approach all adviser engagements as life or death projects - because they could be, for your family and for your business.
• Check every proposed adviser’s family business advisory credentials, including training, experience and, most importantly, real testimonials and referees.
• Don’t rely on accreditation alone. Real knowledge and experience, and demonstrable skills, are far more important.
• Meet them, ask questions and judge their answers.
• Importantly, as with all adviser engagements, assess them for the quality of the questions they ask you. Any adviser that proposes or recommends doing anything before they have a reasonable understanding of your needs is a salesperson, first and foremost. In all probability, that’s not the key skill you’re looking for.
I'm interested in your comments below.
Thank You.
50 Common Causes of Family Business Conflict and how to deal with them.
Family Business Mediation Video No 50. Cuckoo Consultants.
By Jon Kenfield. Family Business Mediator. Solutionist.
• This video is unique amongst the 50 in this series in that it looks to an entirely external conflict generator that can act upon the family - as opposed to the other 49 causes, where the family does its own great job of creating its very own conflict.
• Cuckoo consultants come into family business environments, usually from a business background, sporting business-based credentials and perspectives. They create confusion and conflict by promoting perfectly appropriate business advice to the wrong people, in the wrong way.
• They sound sensible, logical and commercial, but their advice is completely unworkable.
• The problem lies in their ignorance of the unique requirements of family business - much as a cuckoo has no concern for the eggs it turfs out of a host nest to make space for its own egg.
• Cuckoos can be existing trusted advisers, keen to protect their clients from outside consultants (the flea wishes to own the dog); consultants from HR or “normal” business backgrounds who believe they have the required experience and skills; advisers who don’t know what they don’t know; or ones who just don’t care.
Solution
• Approach all adviser engagements as life or death projects - because they could be, for your family and for your business.
• Check every proposed adviser’s family business advisory credentials, including training, experience and, most importantly, real testimonials and referees.
• Don’t rely on accreditation alone. Real knowledge and experience, and demonstrable skills, are far more important.
• Meet them, ask questions and judge their answers.
• Importantly, as with all adviser engagements, assess them for the quality of the questions they ask you. Any adviser that proposes or recommends doing anything before they have a reasonable understanding of your needs is a salesperson, first and foremost. In all probability, that’s not the key skill you’re looking for.
I'm interested in your comments below.
Thank You.
5 min