In our family business, we often look at the same company but see very different things. The older generation sees a story of hard work, survival, and legacy. For them, the business is a symbol of what they built over the years something stable and respectable. The younger generation, on the other hand, sees potential, speed, and the need for change. They want to grow, take risks, and modernize. Both sides care deeply about the business, but we frame our thinking based on different life experiences and roles. This gap in perspective becomes clear in meetings. One person focuses on improving product quality, another wants to expand internationally, and someone else brings up unresolved family issues. All of these views are valid, but they don’t always connect. It often feels like we are solving five different puzzles on one table, using pieces from different boxes. Instead of moving forward together, we end up stuck in discussions that go in circles. This difference is not just about age it’s also about mindset. Some of us see the business as an extension of the family. Others see it as a professional organization that needs to compete and evolve. The real challenge is learning how to bring all these views into one shared vision. I believe we need to listen more deeply not just to respond, but to understand. If we continue to act on different views without alignment, we risk pulling the business in opposite directions. But if we learn to see the bigger picture together, we can use our different strengths to move forward as one.
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Family Business Labs
"The Successor's Paradox"
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