Renee Wiatt & Maria I. Marshall

Keywords: assessment, functionality, relationship, family business, satisfaction

In a family business, the family and the business are constantly competing for limited amounts of time, attention, and resources. The FB-BRAG allows users to measure family business functioning from a variety of viewpoints, in a way that holistically incorporates family and business functionality into one assessment. The four questions included in the assessment are modeled after Smilkstein’s (1978) family APGAR and work APGAR assessments. APGAR assessments measure adaptability, partnership, growth, affection, and resolve (Smilkstein, 1978), while the FB-BRAG measures family business balance, resolve, adaptability, and growth.

Aadron Rausch

Keywords: communication, interpersonal skills, rapport, active listening

Many factors, such as individual differences and communication skills and styles, play a part in how well people in the family communicate. Communication is essential but not always easy. This article introduces the important elements of effective communication, which involves interpersonal skills, rapport, and active listening.

Aadron Rausch

Keywords: decision making, goal setting, collaborative, participatory, management

What is important if you want to achieve effective goal setting and decision making? The answer might lay in a collaborative and participatory management style that involves everyone in the family business. The next question would be "how?". This article elaborates four steps of how to get started on involving everyone in the decision-making process.

Aadron Rausch

Keywords: balance, boundary, strategies, connections

Establishing the right boundary between the family and the business could be a challenge for family members. This article tries to tackle the challenge by offering strategies for maintaining balance between work and family. A self-assessment sheet is also included to test how you rate on balancing work and family.