Every family wants to appear united and harmonious. But beneath the surface, there are secrets: topics and behaviors never discussed because they’re taboo.
At first glance, making a topic or behavior taboo—ensuring that the family doesn’t discuss or engage with it—may seem like an easy way to make a problem disappear and maintain family harmony. But taboos aren’t a true solution.
Family cohesion relies on open and frequent communication between family members. Taboos hinder communication. At their worst, they can destroy the trust built between family members and even evoke shame in individuals.
One example of this shows up during succession. The fears among the elder generation of being forgotten or squeezed out combined with the younger generation’s fear of not being capable often encourage silence on the topic. Families make the topics taboo. And this can lead to a rocky transition.
Learn about the six common taboos harming family businesses in “‘Let’s Not Go There…’ Taboos in Family Business.” Tom Rusen and Torsten Pieper also provide tips on how to transform taboos into points of conversation.
Read about the six common taboos harming family businesses here.
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