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Working in your family business with your mother and father sometimes feel like a prison sentence with no sign of parole anytime in the near future! I know I spent 16 years doing time in my family business.
I like to use a little humor as a way to ease the pain. My 16 years in my family business was rewarding on so many levels but ultimately my frustration with certain things in the business led to my happy and healthy departure in 1999. It was the best thing I could have done for me and our family.
One of the things I encourage my family business clients to practice is acceptance. For some people that sounds like giving up but it really is not about giving up. Here’s some things to consider about acceptance:
Number one acceptance gives you the right mindset: The Brain
Scientists have proven that when we are under stress or in a state of anger it shuts down the creative part of our brain. This limits our ability to see more choices on how to handle the situation.
Number two think the best of people
I truly believe no one wakes up in the morning and says in themselves “I think I’m going to make some people’s lives miserable today”. People have annoying habits but at the end of the day I really don’t believe people want to make other people miserable. I believe they are stuck in unhealthy patterns and simply don’t know how to get out of them.
Number three see your own responsibility in the situation
Almost never do I see a situation where it’s all one person’s fault in the family business. It’s like the old saying it takes two to tango. The sooner you can see how your behaviors, actions and attitudes are contributing to the situation the sooner you’ll be able to have acceptance about the situation
Number four acceptance isn’t giving up its freeing up energy to see new choices
When I encourage family business participants to practice acceptance, I think they hear it like I’m telling them to give up. That couldn’t be further from the truth. So many people are stuck in being cynical or re-signed about the situation, I’m simply trying to move them from negativity to neutral to free up their creativity and power to see and take new choices.
Start today! Find a way to find acceptance in your family business situation and you will have taken the first step toward finding peace, purpose and prosperity in the family business.