Communication within families can be charged with emotion well beyond the words that are shared.  Having said that, fruitful and effective communication is essential to create an environment for your succession plan to proceed and succeed.

In discussions with others, we are often told things that should not be shared.

Confidentiality.  It is a challenge to keep and difficult at times to maintain.

In a family, the dynamics of the intrafamily communciation can turn confidential information from being a shield into a sword.  What do I mean by this?  By sharing such information between family members, say with other siblings, the siblings could use this information against the other sibling.

What can you do to make productive these delicate intrafamily discussions?

1. set ground rules of family communication, both your expectations of openness and honesty as well as family matters should stay within the family

2. lead by example and do not interpose yourself in a family squabble which does not directly involve you

3. make time and effort for communication (the proverbial Sunday family dinner)

In a later post, I will go over my inspiration and thoughts on a book titled “Fierce Conversations”.

Learn, think, apply!