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BETWEEN WORK AND PRIVATE LIFE. STRESS IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS GOALS
 At the end of this module you will be able to: 01 understand what stress is 02 know the causes of stress 03 cope with stress 04 avoid dysfunction in the family business BETWEEN WORK AND PRIVATE LIFE. STRESS IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS
• What is stress?
• Causes of stress
• Conflict as an important cause of stress in Family businesses
• Eustress vs Distress - Types of Stress
• My own stress manager
What is stress?
Fear and stress are natural drivers of human behavior and release energies. Nowadays, however, they often mean suffering on both a psychological and a physical level. Constant stress at work and in leisure time, double burdens, worries about the future, and overstimulation often lead to a negative spiral that manifests itself in a wide variety of symptoms: nervousness, high blood pressure, headaches, concentration problems, insomnia, fears. The definition of stress is increased physical or emotional tension. Stress that causes certain reactions and can lead to damage the health. Living and working in a family business is something special. Here, cohesion in 'good and bad times' is very existential. When work and personal life mix, it becomes even more difficult in the event of a conflict to see the real problems neutrally from a distance and to unravel them. In addition, the mix of company and family often makes problems and sorrows seem limitless. But life is in any case too short for constant stress. Causes of stress
In order to at least keep operations going, pragmatic solutions are often chosen while the family conflicts continue to smolder and ache. Because sometimes the business leaves no time for thorough solutions; sometimes, despite all efforts, it simply cannot be able to resolve the conflicts and end the dispute. Or there is great concern that once a problem comes up, things will only get worse.
Conflict as an important cause of stress in Family businesses
The corporate culture of family businesses is relentlessly influenced by the personality, beliefs and values of the founding generation. The cultural context of family businesses is additionally confounded by the overlapping of the business with the individual family units. Conflict may arise in the family business due to the stress caused by the interaction of both. Frequently there is role ambiguity, role conflict, communication difficulties, business decisions that negatively affect families, and countless of other issues. Even change itself may stimulate conflict to arise. Integrate something new: when someone marries into the family business Typical potential for conflict arises e.g. when the younger generation marries, and thus another, different family system comes into play. Often problems arise around different communication styles, traditions, habits and values. Conflicts of loyalty, competition and insults can be the result. Siblings in the family business When it comes to succession planning or organizational division between family members, almost forgotten sibling conflicts can suddenly escalate again, old wounds and unhelpful patterns can literally 'blossom'. Now a balance is sometimes drawn and accounted for what has been experienced as unjust and / or hurtful for decades. It all generates conflicts, meaning a situation in which people, groups, or companies are involved in a serious disagreement or argument. Eustress vs Distress - Types of Stress
Most people view stress as negative and harmful, but in some situations, stress can be very adaptive and helpful. Stress is a normal physiological and psychological response people developed in response to the circumstances. Distress is a word used to describe negative and overwhelming stress that impairs functioning while eustress refers to stress that is positive, motivating, and enhances functioning. Choose examples of Eustress: The death of a spouse. Filing for divorce. Thrill experienced while watching a horror movie. Losing contact with loved ones. Starting a new job. Buying a home. Hospitalization (oneself or a family member). Excitement of winning a race. Having a child. Marriage.
Examples of Eustress: The death of a spouse. Filing for divorce. Thrill experienced while watching a horror movie. Losing contact with loved ones. Starting a new job. Buying a home. Hospitalization (oneself or a family member). Excitement of winning a race. Having a child. Marriage.
My own stress manager
In order to see if you can manage your stress situations in the family business well, please answer the following questions:
• How can business and family roles best be separated?
• How can the different needs and requirements of the family and the company be balanced?
• When and how do we get away from business, i.e. real free time?
• Which rules do we want or need for this?
• How does the connection between business and family actually affect our children?
• How can we continue to run the company together if our personal relationships have suffered badly?
SUMMING UP
UNIT TEST
Please answer the following questions: Which are the stress symptoms: - nervousness, high blood pressure, headaches, concentration problems, insomnia, fears. - Rhinitis and high body temperature. - Change in skin appearance. What are causes of stress?
- Eating a yoghurt, eating a breakfast or eating fruit. - physical discomfort, multitasking, disorganization. - sleeping and daily routines. Why is conflict an important cause of stress in Family businesses? -The corporate culture of family businesses is never influenced by the personality, beliefs and values of the founding generation.. - The cultural context of family businesses is always confounded by strict divide of the business and the individual family units. - Conflict may arise in the family business due to the change. TEST SOLUTIONS
Here are the answers. Which are the stress symptoms: - nervousness, high blood pressure, headaches, concentration problems, insomnia, fears. - Rhinitis and high body temperature. - Change in skin appearance. What are causes of stress?
- Eating a yoghurt, eating a breakfast or eating fruit. - physical discomfort, multitasking, disorganization. - sleeping and daily routines. Why is conflict an important cause of stress in Family businesses? -The corporate culture of family businesses is never influenced by the personality, beliefs and values of the founding generation.. - The cultural context of family businesses is always confounded by strict divide of the business and the individual family units. - Conflict may arise in the family business due to the change. OFTEN MORE COMPLICATED THEN EXPECTED: RESOLVING CONFLICTS IN FAMILY BUSINESS OFTEN MORE COMPLICATED THEN EXPECTED: RESOLVING CONFLICTS IN FAMILY BUSINESS
• Solve conflicts in the family business
• Burnout in Family Business
• Coping with stress
• Avoid Dysfunction in Your Family Business by Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries
Solve conflicts in the family business
Family businesses have a special feature: They make it difficult to distinguish between professional and private areas. There is no office or factory door that you close behind you after work and go home, because the family - often with several generations - is also the company owner, staff and controller at the same time. This is no different in craft and service companies than on a farm. Only in the latter case, the place of work and place of residence are mostly identical. There is no at least limited spatial separation that would simplify some things. Farming families live where they work and vice versa. If operational problems then overwhelm those involved, discussions about them automatically end up at dinner together and often in the marriage bed. This puts a strain on private life and creates additional stress for everyone. It is important to escape from this dilemma, otherwise both the family business and the family itself are at stake. Burnout in Family Business
Factors such as stress, malaise, fear or pressure to perform promote anxiety disorders. Is there an increased risk when working in a family business? Miller, Wiklund and Yu (2019) have looked at this question and examined the determining factors. There is a tendency to say that members of family businesses have an increased risk of suffering from a mental illness, regardless of whether they are in a management position or are just ordinary employees. The reasons for this are, for example: • Identification with the company (performance entitlement to oneself)
• Pressure from the family (performance entitlement from the family)
• Unclear separation between family and work
A mental illness does not automatically mean that a person is unable to work or even unable to socialize! Is the family business automatically doomed if a member of the family becomes mentally ill? Not necessarily, because the further course of the sick person and the company depends on how the family deals with the situation. Ideally, there is a positive atmosphere within the family in which the illness is addressed, and a common solution is found on how the sick person can continue to be active in the company. For example, a sick member who is no longer able to give public lectures due to anxiety disorders can limit himself to areas in which a public appearance is not necessary. In the worst case, there is a negative atmosphere in the family, which makes it much more difficult to constructively address a mental illness. This can mean that a manager with a mental illness does not agree to give up their position or that the family no longer accepts the sick person because of the illness and excludes them from the company. This can result in far-reaching damage, both for the company and for the sick person. So it depends on how the family is treated, how badly the family business is damaged and how well the sick person can recover.
Coping with stress
Whether you want to get to the bottom of things, let trust grow again, overcome injuries and smoldering problems in order to break new ground together: in business and family. The prerequisite for this is that everyone involved is genuinely interested in solutions and changes. This takes time and a willingness to develop yourself and to break away from old patterns and injuries. If this is not possible, structured mediation can be used to find pragmatic solutions in order to continue running the family business successfully, even if you would rather go separate ways with the family. Avoid Dysfunction in Your Family Business by Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries
Family businesses abound but are fragile. Two telling facts: About two-thirds of all businesses in the world are family run. Family businesses are the backbone of economies and the lifeblood of job creation. Most family businesses don’t last long. The average life span of a family firm is 24 years. Many family businesses fail because they become emotionally dysfunctional. Older generations struggle to share power, relationships become In this Harvard Business Review webinar, INSEAD professor Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries—author of “Saving a Family Business from Emotional Dysfunction”—provides a framework and practical advice that family businesses can use to avoid business-killing conflicts. Kets de Vries discusses concrete actions that families can take to avoid dysfunction and improve business success.
SUMMING UP
UNIT TEST
Please answer the following questions: What put a strain on private life and creates additional stress for farmers? - the place of work and place of residence are mostly identical. - door that you close behind you after work and go home.
- it is easy to distinguish between professional and private areas Family businesses have an increased risk of suffering from a mental illness. What are the reasons for that? - No Identification with the company - Pressure from the family (performance entitlement from the family)
- clear separation between family and work
How can you ideally support family member, that suffers under burnout: - there is a positive atmosphere within the family in which the illness is addressed and a common solution is found on how the sick person can continue to be active in the company - there is a positive atmosphere within the family in which the illness is not addressed. - the family no longer accepts the sick person because of the illness and excludes them from the company. TEST SOLUTIONS
Here are the answers What put a strain on private life and creates additional stress for farmers? - the place of work and place of residence are mostly identical. - door that you close behind you after work and go home.
- it is easy to distinguish between professional and private areas Family businesses have an increased risk of suffering from a mental illness. What are the reasons for that? - No Identification with the company - Pressure from the family (performance entitlement from the family)
- clear separation between family and work
How can you ideally support family member, that suffers under burnout: - there is a positive atmosphere within the family in which the illness is addressed and a common solution is found on how the sick person can continue to be active in the company. - there is a positive atmosphere within the family in which the illness is not addressed. - the family no longer accepts the sick person because of the illness and excludes them from the company. FINAL SUMMARY TEST FINAL SUMMARY TEST
Consolidate your knowledge answering the following questions: Which sentence is truth: - Stress is always negative and harmful.
- Stress can be very adaptive and helpful.
- Stress is a normal physiological and psychological response people developed in response to the circumstances.
Which one is NOT a type of stress: - Distress - Eustress - Nostress About how many of all businesses in the world are family run? - About one-thirds - About two-thirds. - About a half. The average life span of a family firm is - 24 years. - 25 years. - 26 years. Which one is NOT one of Kets de Vries concrete actions for FB to avoid dysfunction: - Focusing on fairness - Focusing on the presence - Writing a constitution What you can find in Kets de Vries Harvard Business Review webinar - Weather forecast. - A framework and practical advice that family businesses can use to avoid business-killing conflicts. - Apple pie recipes. FINAL SUMMARY TEST SOLUTIONS
Here are the answers: Which sentence is truth: - Stress is always negative and harmful.
- Stress can be very adaptive and helpful.
- Stress is a normal physiological and psychological response people developed in response to the circumstances.
Which one is NOT a type of stress: - Distress - Eustress - Nostress About how many of all businesses in the world are family run? - About one-thirds - About two-thirds. - About a half. The average life span of a family firm is - 24 years. - 25 years. - 26 years. Which one is NOT one of Kets de Vries concrete actions for FB to avoid dysfunction: - Focusing on fairness - Focusing on the presence - Writing a constitution What you can find in Kets de Vries Harvard Business Review webinar - Weather forecast. - A framework and practical advice that family businesses can use to avoid business-killing conflicts - Apple pie recipes. AWESOME!
Remember (now you know): 01 understand what stress is 02 know the causes of stress 03 cope with stress 04 avoid dysfunction in the family business Keep going! |
Keywords
Stress in family business, stress management, conflict in family business, burnout in family business
DescriptionDuring the course, users will learn the definition of stress. By understanding different types of stress, they will be sensitised and recognise the difference between positive and negative stress. The stressors will be mentioned and different techniques to cope with stress will be introduced to the users. The most important cause of stress in family businesses, namely conflicts of various kinds, is described. Furthermore burnout is currently very common all over the world and family businesses are much more vulnerable due to their unique nature. During the course, the reasons for this are mentioned in detail and the statistics are presented. Thanks to the model of Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries, users can avoid dysfunction in the family business and thus manage the biggest stress factor.
