Choosing to join, work, and remain, in a family business can be far more complicated than when pursuing any other employment path. While the rewards can be far greater, at times the emotional and relational complexities can be seemingly impossible to navigate. The business suffers, relationships are damaged, and individual performance and happiness deteriorates beyond repair.
See below to learn more about how Dr. Klein works with family business members (1-on-1, or as a group) to maximize decision-making, address family business dynamics, and maintain or set a course for workplace effectiveness and long-term growth and satisfaction.
Through comprehensive discovery, action planning, and coaching, 1-on-1 advising assists in moving individuals forward towards creating and meeting both short- and long-term professional and personal goals. Tools that measure work-related personality traits, career interests, motivators, and social and emotional style are utilized to determine "best fit" job roles, paths, and organizational climates.
Easy-to-use assessments that help members better understand how they are each "wired" can enhance cohesion and collaboration while helping to manage (or avoid) conflict in the workplace.. Objective assessments provide new ways for thinking about who family members are, and what makes each family business unique. These tools are completed individually prior to a group workshop and debrief. Participants receive their own in-depth profile as well as a group personality wheel.
"Hi Dr. Klein, I started a new job in tech today! There is still work ahead to determine where I want to grow and specialize at this company and in my career, but I'm on the right track now. The work with you ultimately allowed me to give myself permission to want something else in life. I really felt crazy as I considered leaving the family business again, but after our work I felt seen and not alone. So thank you for being a part of my journey! I appreciate all you do. " January, 2022
"Maybe the more important piece is in subjecting yourself to difficulty and watching yourself become stronger and more capable while in pursuit of something you consider worthwhile." November, 2021
"Emotionally, I'm in a better place than I can remember being in the last 5 or so years. It almost feels strange waking up every morning without feeling the dread I used to feel every single day while I was working in (my family's business). It's not an exaggeration. I felt that way. Every. Single. Day. And, since I started this new position, I haven't had a feeling remotely close to that. It feels remarkable. I'm not saying that I've found my 'life's calling' but I'm significantly less melancholic than I was before. I say all this to remind you that your work matters and it makes a difference in people’s lives. It has in mine. " September, 2021
"As someone who has navigated an exit from a family business, I can say this book offers a wonderful overview of the symptoms, causes, and fixes for an issue that surprisingly gets little coverage in the business world. It certainly helped me diagnose the problems I was experiencing and steered me toward an effective way of working through them."
September, 2020
Familybusiness.org recently published Dr. Klein's article on the difference between thriving and being trapped in a family business.
Now available as a second edition, Trapped in the Family Business is a practical guide for understanding family business traps and what can be done about them.
As a guest on various family business podcasts, Dr. Klein shares stories and insights about family business careers, dynamics, and challenges
Hear about how the work Dr. Klein does has benefitted individuals in family businesses their own words
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