"Where is the other me?" Elias asked. "If you're Marcus, who is the Elias of this world?"
Family firms often forgo "excess returns" during boom times to ensure they can survive economic downturns. This survivalist instinct makes them remarkably resilient during global crises. 3. The Gravity of Conflict: Relationship vs. Task the family business parallel universe
: Standard business planning focuses on market performance and competition. "Where is the other me
Focuses on emotion, love, protection, and shared identity. Success is measured by harmony and emotional wellbeing. Focuses on emotion, love, protection, and shared identity
But there is a magic to this universe, too.
. A simple disagreement in a board meeting about quarterly projections can secretly be fueled by a twenty-year-old grudge. Here, the "organizational chart" is often a masquerade for the family tree, and the "corporate culture" is simply the family’s personality writ large. The Burden of Legacy