Kinkade: Conflicts in Family Businesses

In preparing for The NACS Show, Ann Kinkade observed that well-managed conflict in a family business presents many of the same benefits of a controlled burn, a practice used to control the health of prairies and forests.

Families working together in business benefit when they recognize that properly managed conflict provides an opportunity for growth, discussion and learning. When things start to heat up or when the sparks start to fly, the best thing to do is to pause and commit to coming back to the conversation when the smoke has cleared. But without the commitment to come back and “control the burn,” the familiar unwanted weeds and invasive species will thrive.

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Read the article: Controlling the ‘Burn’ of Conflicts in Family Businesses (.pdf)