FBCC
Family Business Conflict & Communication

Family Business Health Check

FAMILY BUSINESS HEALTH CHECK

How is working together working for your family?

Take about 3 minutes to reflect on communication, authority, boundaries and conflict. Answer individually, based on how things work today. Other family members may see things differently.

1 = Strongly disagree · 3 = Mixed / unsure · 5 = Strongly agree. If a statement does not fit your situation, choose Mixed / unsure and keep that in mind when reviewing your result.

This informal conversation starter is not a validated psychological or business-performance assessment. Its score ranges are discussion guides, not diagnoses. It does not evaluate profitability, accounting, legal structure or investment strategy.

0 of 12 answered

1. Family members can discuss difficult business issues without old family arguments taking over the conversation.
2. Everyone understands who has authority to make which decisions, and family members generally respect those boundaries.
3. Family members can disagree without using anger, silence, personal attacks, alliances or other relatives to gain leverage.
4. A family member can be confronted about poor performance or behavior without the issue becoming a family crisis.
5. Non-family employees are not forced to choose sides, carry messages or work around disagreements between family members.
6. Spouses and relatives who do not have an official business role have appropriate boundaries around company decisions.
7. Family members communicate directly with the person involved rather than complaining through parents, siblings, spouses or employees.
8. The current leader can give another family member meaningful authority without repeatedly taking control back.
9. Past hurts, favoritism, sibling rivalry or parent-child issues are not routinely driving present-day business disagreements.
10. Family members can discuss money, ownership, responsibility and leadership without the conversation becoming emotionally unproductive.
11. The family has a workable way to resolve disagreements when two family members both believe they have the final say.
12. The family can discuss future leadership or succession without fear, avoidance or unresolved relationship issues stopping the conversation.