| Describe Arrange a private meeting with the party with whom you're in conflict and start by describing the other person's actions objectively. Try to quantify the concerns, and avoid judgmental, absolute terms such as "You always…" and "You are never…" |
| Express Express your concerns about the consequences of the behavior on the business and family. Keep it simple, and keep it believable. |
| Specify. Specify the behavior you want. Be as specific as possible. Example: "It is critical that you be here on time when we call a family board meeting." |
| Consequences. Cite the consequences that will occur when the behavior is changed. Emphasize the opportunities or benefits that might otherwise be lost. |
| You shouldn't attempt to run a DESC script when people are screaming and yelling, although you can still adhere to the same principles. Just wait until things cool off, and then try it. |
Curbing Infractions
Resolving problems in a family business can lead to some sticky situations. Try using this simple method
By James Olan Hutcheson
Rather than being respectfully addressed, too often problems that could cause strife in family businesses are ignored and allowed to fester until some combination of events makes them impossible to overlook. By then the conflict may be so intense and deep-rooted, or the business may be in such a delicate and precarious position, that resolution is much more difficult.
But any method of conflict resolution is probably O.K. as long as the solution you choose doesn't belittle or demean anyone or force a winner-and-loser outcome. There is one simple, widely used method to resolve common conflict that goes by the acronym DESC. The letters stand for "Describe, Express, Specify, and Consequences." Here's how it works:
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