Many franchise owners go into business with or employ close friends and family simply because there is an existing trust factor. As mentioned in one of our previous articles, “Family Business Perspective Matters,” you don’t have to be blood related to be considered a family business.
The last two months of the year offer more time together with loved ones than any other time of the year. For multi-unit franchisee business owners who view their partners, senior executives, or staff as close friends or family, this means that it often also brings a bit more of a challenge to navigating relationships and work environments. Working with close friends, family, or colleagues who have grown to feel like both, means that you are inheriting all the customary behaviors, habits, and routines that develop between those you care about. Familial-like bonds provide us with personal fulfillment outside of the office and can translate into building management teamwork in the workplace. However, the downside to personal bonds in business is, without clear expectations, role responsibilities, and performance criteria, it is an environment that can harbor attitudes of entitlement and resentment. Personal bonds often make it difficult to hold each other accountable from a business perspective. Even though we make the decision to handle working relationships with intentions of keeping it strictly business, without purposeful facilitation, it never ends up working out as planned.
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