Dear friend,
We live in uncertain times, in an increasingly complex world. With an accelerating speed of change, the gap between generations is widening and the traditional family structure is being tested. Innovative solutions are emerging to meet these challenges, one of which is an integrative approach that helps families build a resilient foundation, and drives authentic communication to help them unite as one to co-create a shared future.
At the heart of every family business are people and their families. Human connection, relationships, and empathy drives success.The ability to engage with different perspectives in the collective, and to create a safe space for such conversations is paramount.
As a 3rd generation kid growing up as part of a family business, I felt there were many conversations between family members that were much needed, but never had. This resulted in misunderstandings that were not acknowledged and thus left unaddressed. Perspectives remained different between family members with some feeling that they did not have the opportunity to prove themselves, and to self actualize.
A foundation of trust is needed for authentic communication to occur in the family. This begins at the individual level. The physical, mental-emotional and relational state of an individual provides the foundation from which to build upon. An integrative approach to health and wellbeing enables the individual to be self-aware and build resilience.
The individual develops a clear sense of self within the family, and as more family members engage in this way, each person’s vulnerability creates a foundation of trust. Feeling safe to communicate their truth, an authentic ‘me’ helps build the bridge to create a unified ‘we’.
Individual and collective learnings through authentic communication transform underlying dynamics of nuclear and multi-generational families, solidifying harmony and creating enduring impact.
I invite you to read an article I recently co-wrote with Jeremy Cheng, explaining how bridging a human-systems approach and family-systems approach is the missing piece to building dynamic durability within family businesses. (Article below)
With love and gratitude,
feisal