Family Business Advising
Keeping a family business alive is perhaps the toughest management job on earth.
— John L. Ward
do you have questions?
“There are so many advantages to owning a family business, but family dynamics are complicated. We need help making this work!”
“The succession planning process in my family business has stalled — and deep down I know it’s because I’m having a hard time letting go. I’ve met with an excellent financial advisor but I’m finding there is much more to preparing mentally and emotionally for this transition to whatever is next for me.”
In the world of family business, one size does not fit all.
Families are complex to begin with; add a business to the mix and that complexity often increases exponentially. Family businesses face challenges that are as unique as the family members. To sort out these challenges, an increasing number of family businesses are turning to consultants and trusted family advisors with training in family business and ownership dynamics.
Sharon Dorsett applies a combination of knowledge and experience in business psychology, family dynamics, and human behavior to help family business leaders determine what is most important to them. She helps families get past being “stuck,” while creating a stronger family unit and a more healthy, productive, values-oriented business.
Specifically, Dorsett OD Offers the Following Services for Family Businesses:
- Leadership and Management Development: Executive coaching for business leaders, managers, and next generation, helping them to think strategically and effectively influence others. Includes assistance with managerial challenges unique to family business.
- Training in Group & Family Dynamics: Increase cohesion, collaboration, performance, and family business “emotional intelligence.” Participants learn effective family communication and conflict resolution tools and learn how to balance family/business/ownership dynamics. This training addresses disharmonious issues of hierarchy inequities, sibling rivalry, power, and control.
- Team Development: Family business team building geared toward appreciation of diversity, acceptance of other’s work preferences.
- Organizational Development, Strategy, and Change Management: Managing resistance to change. Increasing employee engagement, job satisfaction, and motivation. Building/creating governance. Overcoming difficulties through a process of uncovering and clarifying underlying issues.
- Legacy and Retirement Coaching: Legacy coaching for the leader who is retiring or transitioning from a key role and considering the legacy he or she wishes to leave and what is next for them. Spending some time considering the emotional side of letting go is can be an especially helpful process for a family business owner during succession planning.
“With the combination of organizational psychology and an understanding of group and family dynamics, sharon is uniquely suited to work in the field of family business advising. We at the ifob consider her a valuable contributor and are pleased she is part of our family-owned business community.”
— Gina Weathersby, Director,
Institute For Family-Owned Business
