Dear Sixth Level,
I own a distribution company that sells to retail enterprises, and I am required to frequently travel overseas. I have two sons who I I hope will take over the business in five years, and they are in charge when I am traveling. The older son performs well, but the younger son does not show up on time and sometimes not at all. The younger son complains that my older son interferes with his work and often fails to notify him of meetings. Employees often complain that they do not know who is in charge when I am away and that the brothers sometimes give conflicting directions. Last month, while I was away, we lost an important sale. I have told my sons that they need to work together. How do I get my sons to place the needs of the business over their sibling rivalry?
~ Frustrated Business Father
Dear Frustrated Business Father,
First of all, kudos to you for reaching out to help your family get over this common problem! When we talk about Justness in the Sixth Level, one of the tactics is ensuring roles and responsibilities are clear and allow for accountability. You are correct that no matter what, your sons need to work together and not against each other. Second, if the business is to continue as a family enterprise, the brothers need to respect and care for each other – we call this Mutuality. Some tactics to forge Mutuality can be found in The Sixth Level book on pages 89-127. Our recommendation is that you hire a Sixth Level consultant to meet with you, your sons and other key employees to create the organizational structure and culture that cultivates cooperation toward common goals. For example, who does what task in the sales cycle? What is the division of labor when you are out of town? Increasing awareness of each son’s responsibility to each other regarding sharing information and being inclusive is critical. When open and candid discussions are part of the culture, continual improvements can be made to achieve Mutuality, Justness, Ingenuity and Intrinsic Motivation so your employees, your family and the business can thrive.
Thank you for your inquiry!
TSL
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