Case 2 Small Family Business: Power Play at the Inn
E
Pat Frishkoff
-declaration as general manager is too simple. The
situation indicates a greater need.
happenings th
begin. Robert must first decide who should be involved i
his chosen team must consider: Where are we now? Where do we want to go? How do
we get there?
We know three things: That Jake feels entitled to a higher position and may go to
so demand immediate action. Robert has two choices in
handling Jake: If Robert has decided, unequivocally, on Jake as successor, then he should
Robert Needs to Restructure
Kathy Berliner
Does Robert respond to Jake as a boss or as a father? Is Katherine’s role in decision
making acknowledged directly, or does she advocate from behind the scenes? Here lies
the challenge for the family business: How does the first generation establish a pattern for
managing the conflicting demands of work and family? Recognizing where the family
and the business are in their respective life cycles will help dictate a strategy.
do they expect from the business financially and emotionally? What kind of retirement do
they envision? Thus begins the process of planning for succession.