Some people think that a real businessman should be a loner – nothing should distract him from business. Meanwhile, the family is very important, because the ups are inevitably followed by the fall, and someone should be there for whom it would be worthwhile to find the strength to move on.
But the family also requires feedback and attention, so it is extremely important to learn to act in such a way that time is not distributed among relatives and friends according to the residual principle: first, business, and then everything else.
Today we will talk about how to behave with your family so that business and family do not conflict with each other.
1. Knowledge of the audience
If you are an entrepreneur, then it is natural for you to be in the image. Sometimes people do not go beyond the image of the boss even at home. In some cases, this may have a positive effect, for example, when you need to adjust the work of tilers, talk to a late courier who brought a cold pizza, or keep a crowd of suspicious teenagers away from the garage. But if an upset daughter calls you from school, then, most likely, at that moment she needs a loving dad, not a boss.
Make sure you know your audience and resonate with it. The easiest way to achieve this is to ask the question: “Do you want me to listen to you or help you?” And depending on the answer, decide what is wanted of you and how you will react to it.
2. Action Plan
Your family should know your work schedule. From nine in the morning until six in the evening – you are at work, and if you don’t pick up the phone, then there is nothing to be offended by dad. But they also need to know their rights, that at the family dinner you belong entirely to them and nothing else. Of course, a business man can be called at any time, but you must also demonstrate that you have set priorities, and in the evening communication with your family is the most important thing.
If you are waiting for an important call, then notify home about it, then no one will complain if at dinner you leave for a few minutes to talk on the phone. You must have a schedule, and all independent family members should have access to it. This not only teaches honesty and transparency in relationships, but also responsibility.
If you show respect to your family, telling about your business and expectations, then they will understand that such “falling out” from family life is more an exception than a norm. If you are not able to create boundaries and plan a day, then your family will never feel relaxed enough for fear of unwittingly disturbing you with words or deeds.
3. Creating physical boundaries
This rule follows from the previous two: assign roles depending on a specific point in space. If you are at home – you are a parent, if in a private office (at home or at work) – the CEO. If you are called to the school for a meeting – the parent, you understand the abuser of the child – the director.
This rule works well in families where there are children. After all, children do not always see the difference, such a distinction will help you choose the right tone of communication with others, and your loved ones to understand exactly how to behave and how to react to one or another of your behaviors at a particular moment and in a particular place.
4. Familiarization of the family to the business
If you want to devote yourself completely to your family for a while, then the best way is to turn off the phone and go on vacation. But often it will not work, as well as going on vacation for a long time.
Moreover, always after such trips, the owner of a commercial enterprise goes to work with his head, trying to catch up. The result – the effect obtained from the holidays, completely leveled. Therefore, in everyday life a different approach should be taken – to attract family members to the business. If not to the family, then to the independent. This can be arranged even for children. And although quite often you will communicate with others not as a member of the family, but as a boss, mentor, or business partner, such communication is still better than none at all.
Yes, some of your relatives may not like such a role, but for the short period they will inspire in the shoes of a businessman, they will be able to feel the complexity, burden and responsibility of entrepreneurship and will be much more lenient and more understanding to you and your work. This means that there will be fewer reasons for quarrels and offenses in the family.