Blog Introduction: Being in business with family can be difficult. You are balancing maintaining a good working relationship with family dynamics. This can be made more difficult when communicating with difficult family business partners or siblings. Here are some tips on how to communicate with difficult family business partners or siblings in a way that is respectful and maintains healthy boundaries.
Understand why they are behaving the way they are
The first step to diffusing a difficult situation is to understand why the person is behaving the way they are. There could be many reasons why your family member is behaving in a difficult manner such as:
-They might feel unappreciated
-They might feel like their ideas are not being heard
-They might be going through something personal that is not related to the business
Difficult behavior can also stem from unresolved childhood issues. Once you have identified the reason behind the behavior, you can start to address it. However, it is important to remember that you cannot change another person, only yourself. The goal is not to try and change them, but to find a way to work around the difficulty.
Be honest about your feelings
It can be helpful to set boundaries with difficult family members by honest about your feelings. This means communicating openly and honestly about what you are feeling and why. It is also important to listen to what they are saying and try to see things from their perspective. It might be helpful to write down what you want to say before having a conversation so that you can stay focused on what you want to communicate. Remember that there will be times when you will need to agree to disagree.
It is okay to take a break
There might be times when the situation is too difficult and you need take a break from speaking with the family member. This does not mean that you are giving up on resolving the issue, but rather that you need some time away from them. If possible, it might be helpful set a time limit for how long the break will last so that both parties know when they will reconvene to try and resolve the issue again.
Communicating with difficult family members can be challenging, but it is possible maintain healthy relationships with them. The most important thing is to remember that you cannot change another person, only yourself. Be honest about your feelings, agree to disagree when necessary, and take breaks as needed until both parties are ready attempt resolution again.
