By and large, in most family businesses, you have three types of employees:

I’m going to stir the pot today and talk about Big Business, it’s bad behaviour and how some of it is not far short of corporate bullying.

Today is our eldest son, Callum’s 23rd birthday. Life passes us by very fast. It feels like a minute ago I held him in my arms and the length of his body was from the inside of my elbow to the tips of my fingers.

In editions 66 and 67 of Growth (26th April, 2017 & 3rd May, 2017), I talked about the roles of Technician, Manager and Entrepreneur in a family business.

I’ve worked with a large number of family businesses, in a wide range of industries, over a long period of time. What never ceases to amaze me is when family business owners are looking to grow, they usually focus on the big, shiny stuff. A new product or service. Partnering with another business on a concept. Buying out a competitor. All exciting.

Early on in 2019, there’s a worrying trend that I’ve identified with a number of the family business owners I engage with. It’s the evidence of time drift.

No, we’re not talking about the classic 1978 song and album from The Who this week, though I have to admit, this is one of my favourites from them (but doesn’t top “Won’t Get Fooled Again”).

There’s a lot of talk at the moment around millennials. How “they’re different”. How they don’t stick at anything for too long. How they’re busy planning the next trip or festival rather than establishing the foundations for their life ahead.

In my 30 years of working with family business, one of the greatest impediments to success that I’ve observed is loneliness. Let me explain.

I was conducting a Strategy Planning Re-Group workshop with some great clients a few weeks back and the issue of task completion came up. Most were complete. A couple of others were nearly there. Nothing of worth was not yet started.