Description
Book SynopsisThe oldest form of commercial organisations, family and entrepreneurial enterprises, are a prime source of wealth creation and employment across the world. In a family enterprise, issues like hiring, dividend payment, or succession, despite being difficult, are just business tasks, requiring planning and decision-making.
Trade Review“…explores the reasons why some family businesses are dysfunctional – and how to cure them.” (
The Guardian, Saturday 15th September 2007)
"fascinating new book" (The Independent, Tuesday 9th October 2007)
"a unique insight into the subject." (Guardian Unlimited guardian.co.uk, Thursday 13th December)
"You'll find this book well worth reading" (Edge, February 2008)
"...an insight into addressing key family buisness issues." (Gulf Buisness, February 2008)
Table of ContentsPreface xiii
Acknowledgments xxv
Part I: Questions and Observations 1
Introduction 3
Endnote 7
1 A Psychological Perspective on Business Families 9
Psychodynamic and family systemic perspectives 10
Key ideas from the psychodynamic approach 11
The role of transference and countertransference 12
The family systemic perspective 17
A therapeutic alliance 20
A summing-up 21
Endnotes 22
2 The Challenges of Love and Work 25
Conflicting goals in the family business 26
The three-circles model 29
How conflict can develop 32
Endnotes 38
3 Family Business Practices: Assessing Strengths and Weaknesses 39
The interface of business and family practices 42
Assessing the health of a family business 60
Endnotes 62
Part II: Reflection and Learning 63
4 the Life Cycle as An Organizing Construct 65
The multiple life cycles of the family business 66
Key models of human psychological development 68
The family life cycle 75
Carter and McGoldrick’s family-based life cycle model 76
Applying the life cycle in family businesses 78
Endnotes 81
5 Narcissism, Envy, and Myths In Family Firms 83
Personality types 83
Managerial implications of dysfunctional narcissism 90
The importance of individuation 91
The family firm as transitional object 92
The power of envy 95
Games families play: the role of family myths 103
The impact of family myths on the family business 105
Summary 109
Endnotes 109
6 the Entrepreneur: Alone at the Top 111
Common personality characteristics of founder–entrepreneurs 111
Larry Ellison and Oracle 113
Deciphering the inner theater of the entrepreneur 117
Common defensive structures in founder–entrepreneurs 128
Maintaining the balance 130
Endnotes 131
7 Leadership Transition: Replacing a Parent as Ceo 133
Options for tackling the succession problem 133
The inheritance 135
Psychological pressures on new leaders 136
Staying on course 144
Endnotes 146
8 A Systemic View of the Business Family 147
A two-way relationship 147
The evolution of systems theory 148
The development of family systems theory 149
The family systems proposition 154
Family scripts and rules 156
Family scripts in the family business 157
A practical example of family systems thinking 162
Endnotes 163
9 Diagnosing Family Entanglements 165
The family genogram 166
The Circumplex Model of marriage and family systems 172
Differentiation of self from family of origin 176
Two family stories 178
Endnotes 185
Part III: Integration and Action 187
10 Addressing Transitions and Change 189
Lewin’s ideas on change 189
A model of individual change 191
Major themes in the individual journey toward change 196
The process of change within organizations 200
The change process in families 205
Family focus or organization focus? 212
Endnotes 213
11 The Vicissitudes of Family Business 215
The Steinbergs: A study in self-destruction 215
The immigrant dream 216
His mother’s son 218
The entrepreneur’s vision 220
Sam as a family business leader 220
The entrepreneur’s dilemma: Passing the baton 223
The next generation 224
Irving Ludmer: Play it again, Sam 225
A family systems perspective on the Steinbergs 228
The effects of Sam Steinberg’s inner world on the family business 233
The inner theater of Sam’s daughters 236
What if? 239
Endnotes 240
12 Putting Family Business Intervention Into Practice 241
The Family Action Research Process 242
The succession conundrum 243
The role of the outside adviser 271
Advice to families seeking help 271
The benefits of a psychodynamic systems perspective 274
Final words 275
Endnotes 276
Appendix 1: Developing a Business Family Genogram 277
Creating the genogram 277
Therapeutic applications of the genogram 278
Using the genogram to identify family scripts and themes 279
How genograms improve communication 282
Endnote 282
Appendix 2: the Clinical Rating Scales And the Circumplex Model 283
How the CRS work 284
Endnote 287
Index 289
