The family and the family business
The family is the smallest building block of society and it holds the utmost importance in a person’s life. It is a most powerful unit when it is cohesive and empowered. In recognition of the critical importance of the family for a peaceful and sustainable society, International Day of Families is observed each 15th of May by the United Nations to raise awareness about this critical unit of society and seek ways to protect it.
Family businesses are the backbone of any economy and Nigeria is no different. Indeed family-owned businesses have long been part of Nigerian business life and history, yet so many of the prominent businesses in the early 50s and 60s are no more. What happened to them?
Family businesses face unique challenges.
Passing a business down to the next generation is often unsuccessful. In fact,
statistics show that only one-third of all family businesses are successfully
transferred to the next generation, and only about 15% are transferred onto the
third generation. Succession planning experts cite the primary reason for the
high failure rate being due to a founder’s failure to effectively plan for the
transfer of ownership and management of the business. Here are some issues to consider:
Don't assume that they are
interested
A common mistake that business owners make is
assuming that your children want to follow in your footsteps. Don't just assume
that your offspring must be your natural successors. They may not have the
inclination or the desire to join the business and may want to follow their own
life path and not yours. The next generation has to have the unique combination
of wanting to run the business and also being capable of running it
effectively. It shouldn't be forced; ideally they should want to join the
business.
Can they do the job?
Does it have to be a family member that leads the company, no matter the outcome? The best person to succeed you may not be a family member. Many families bring in their children into senior positions that they may not be prepared for. Have you given your children room to grow in the company, or have you held on to the reins so tightly that even those among them who are already in the business have not been able to express themselves, or develop their decision-making or leadership skills?
Hold them accountable
Be completely clear about roles, responsibilities and reviews to make sure that family members are performing at the required level. Do they command respect in their own personal capacity and as a result of their skills, experience and intellect, or are they dismissed or only grudgingly “accepted” as “oga’s” child? Underperforming or dysfunctional family members being allowed to wander through the business without accountability, is very demotivating for other hardworking staff. This can be very damaging for morale and the prospects for a successful transition may be bleak.
Should they join the business straight from school?
Your children will benefit from maturing and gaining confidence independently rather than as the children of the boss. Issues such as punctuality, earning their own money, accountability and credibility are important. The knowledge and experience they garner outside the business can be useful when they enter the company.
There are generational differences
The next generation tend to have a different lifestyle
than the founder and entrepreneur who built the business from scratch with
blood, sweat and tears. In some instances, they might have been to top
educational institutions, have enjoyed the good life and in many cases, they
have been over-indulged. As a result they often do not share the same drive,
commitment or passion of the founder of the business. On the other hand, their
work style is not an indication of a lack of commitment to the business. The
older generation has much to learn from the new way of working.
Youth and innovation
Family businesses are dynamic in nature; as members of the younger generation learn from their elders, so too must the older generation be flexible enough to capitalize on and embrace the skills and ideas of the youth to innovate, embrace technology and explore new opportunities. This is crucial for a firm’s long-term survival as it embraces change and seeks to remain relevant. Many founders refuse to change with the times and resent any new ideas.
Are you being fair?
Particularly
in a patriarchal society like ours, many families assume that the eldest son or
child will take over the business. Of course the owner can make a decision to
pass leadership to the child of their choice, but it can be a challenge to try to balance
fairness in employing certain children or even grandchildren in a family
business with various skill levels, compensation levels and ownership levels as
opposed to others. This
“natural’ choice may not necessarily be ideal if the candidate has not earned
the respect of family members of employees for that particular position. This could build up
resentment, jealousy and envy that may bring an outstanding company to its
knees. The extended family system often introduces yet further complications
that must also be addressed.
Mentor your successor
Mentoring can take several years, even if your
successor has worked in the company. It is a good idea to have someone who
isn't a family member but works successfully in the business, serve as the
mentor. Objectively evaluate your successor and with input from stakeholders
including Directors, investors, managers and employees. Even after handing over
the reins, one should continue to assess and stay connected as you gradually
disengage.
Deploy a professional selection process
A family hire should as far as possible be as thorough as any other hire. Does their personality and capability fit the job? In choosing your successor, you should seek to identify the best person positioned to move the company forward both internally and externally. The more objective and transparent the process of bringing in the next leader into a business, the smoother the transition and the more likely the success of the exercise. Successors should be ranked based on key criteria including educational background, past work experience, prior leadership positions, interpersonal skills, problem solving and decision-making ability and so on. Your successor’s personal strengths and weaknesses as well as their professional and leadership abilities should be of paramount consideration and is of far greater importance than your blood relationship. Don't employ someone just to fill a vacancy or just because they need a job. They should be suited to the role.
Seek professional advice
Family businesses have a greater need for formal communication in order to resolve a host of other pressing family and business issues. Sometimes volatile topics steeped in emotion make it difficult; a third party facilitator will make discussions constructive and less emotive.
Would you consider selling
the company?
If you are still at the helm of a profitable
business and see no real prospects of your children moving it forward, there is
the option of selling a stake, or the company in its entirety. The proceeds of
the sale will be in the form of financial assets which your heirs will
eventually inherit; you can achieve this without them being directly involved
in the running of the firm.
Smooth succession planning takes time and should
be developed over several years. With carefully objective planning, the
transition of a business from one generation to the next, or to a non-family leader,
has a better chance of long-term business success and sustainability. The
earlier the planning starts, the better.
Nimi Akinkugbe has extensive
experience in private wealth management. Through her platforms, she seeks to
empower people regarding their finances and offers frank, practical insights to
create a greater awareness and understanding of personal finance.
For more personal finance tips visit:
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