Conference PaperPDF Available

Working with Families in Family Businesses

Authors:
  • Dr. Robert Waldl

Abstract

The Crossover between Personcentered Counseling and Consulting Couples and families running family businesses live and work under special circumstances. They face complex interference between two social systems: the business, and the private world. They must cope with contradictory value systems in communication, decision-making and belonging. Many occasions bring business families to a counselor / consultant. Mostly they are overloaded and unsure whether problems stem from their partnership or the company. There is incongruence, vulnerability and uncertainty about double roles; communication is ambiguous and they experience each other as threatening. When the next generation takes over, plans often endanger relationships and the existence of the business. Personcentered counseling and consulting can be done at different levels: at the individual-, the interaction-or the organization level. Working on awareness of self and others, cultivating communication in double roles enables persons to become congruent. They can switch freely between their roles as family members and company functionaries, allowing new perspectives in the family and in the organization. Robert Waldl, MA., Ph.D., is a person-centered psychotherapist and trainer at the Forum. He works as supervisor, coach and consultant in private practice in Vienna.
Abstract(for(the(European(Symposium((“The(place(of(the(Person9Centred(Approach(in(Europe:(Contributions,(
Activities(and(Impact(in(a(Troubled(World“(
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PCE(Europe(and(the(Department(of(Psychology,(
Charles(University,(Prague(
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Working!with!Families!in!Family!Businesses!
The!Crossover!between!Personcentered!Counseling!and!Consulting!
(
Couples(and(families(running(family(businesses(live(and(work(under(special(
circumstances.(They(face(complex(interference(between(two(social(systems:(the(
business,(and(the(private(world.(They(must(cope(with(contradictory(value(systems(in(
communication,(decision9making(and(belonging.(((
(
Many(occasions(bring(business(families(to(a(counselor(/(consultant.(Mostly(they(are(
overloaded(and(unsure(whether(problems(stem(from(their(partnership(or(the(company.(
There(is(incongruence,(vulnerability(and(uncertainty(about(double(roles;(communication(
is(ambiguous(and(they(experience(each(other(as(threatening.(When(the(next(generation(
takes(over,(plans(often(endanger(relationships(and(the(existence(of(the(business.(
(
Personcentered(counseling(and(consulting(can(be(done(at(different(levels:(at(the(
individual9,(the(interaction9(or(the(organization(level.(Working(on(awareness(of(self(and(
others,(cultivating(communication(in(double(roles(enables(persons(to(become(congruent.(
They(can(switch(freely(between(their(roles(as(family(members(and(company(
functionaries,(allowing(new(perspectives(in(the(family(and(in(the(organization.(
(
(
Robert!Waldl,(MA.,(Ph.D.,(is(a(person9centered(psychotherapist(and(trainer(at(the(
Forum.(He(works(as(supervisor,(coach(and(consultant(in(private(practice(in(Vienna.(
(
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