Management Succession Planning for Family Businesses

On this episode of “Seeds of Encouragement,” Elaine Froese explains how to use a talking stick to discuss the “undiscussabull.”

http://www.elainefroese.com

You know the story about the bull in the middle of the living room and the entire family knows it’s there, but no one is willing to talk about the real issues keeping the family on edge. While Elaine was training to be a certified coach, she came upon the idea of using a stuffed beanie baby bull as a very useful tool for good communication. She has discovered that using an object passed around a circle gives each family business member a concrete way to speak and be really listened to. The “talking stick” – or in this case stuffed bull – is a reminder they are in a safe place to be able to discuss the undiscussabull.

The rule is when you hold the bull, you have the floor for speaking and no one gets to interrupt you. When you are finished you can pass the bull to the next person who requests it. This has had amazing results to teach people to listen without interrupting.

So why bother? If your family is struggling with this issue consider a talking stick and lay down some guidelines:

1. Use respectful language.

2. Understand conflict is normal and we may agree to disagree.

3. Do not leave before the agenda is finished.

4. Turn cell phones off.

5. Keep track of action plans with persons assigned to complete the tasks.

6. Use a white board (possibly from your machine shop) to record agenda items before the meeting.

7. Make the farm business meetings top priority and all team members will attend.

One time Elaine forgot to pack her bull and she had to find a substitute talking stick at a general store in a very small town. She found a stuffed monkey, which was a great metaphor to deal with issues to get the monkey off your back. Keep in mind it helps to keep a sense of humor. So have fun, incorporate toys into your boardroom. Find stress balls to squeeze during those heated discussions. Use a roll of toilet paper on the table to remind you to be soft on the person and hard problem you are trying to solve

http://www.elainefroese.com

Duration : 0:2:37

Technorati Tags: discussing family issues, Elaine Froese, family discussions, farm business discussions, farm businesses, seeds of encouragement, talking sticks

Related posts:

1. Elaine is Media Friendly – Elaine Froese – Farm Family Coach
2. Understand Your Age Needs – Elaine Froese – Farm Family Coach
3. Communication Styles…What Bird Are You? – Elaine Froese – Farm Family Coach
4. Take Charge of Your Plans For Change – Elaine Froese – Farm Family Coach