Two-way Communication Essay, Research Paper
Two-way communication, with both parties able to express themselves on the most deep-rooted issues and really hear the other, is key to change in a familybusiness. That was the central point of John Messervey’s address to the FamilyBusiness center, September 9, 1997 at the Springfield Sheraton.Messervey, of the National Family Business Council in Lake Forest, Illinois,believes that nearly every family business will benefit by change&emdash;andthat those who attended are ready to catalyze that process: “You are herebecause you want something to change.”The specifics will vary from business to business; in recent cases, Messerveyencountered these desires: a son wanted his father to invest in a new project; amother was accused by her child of meddling; a sibling looked for ways toprevent his brother from antagonizing key employees; another sibling was askedto “quit pretending she’s working.”Messervey’s analysis concentrated on the family, which he sees as “the prototypefor all organization; business patterns are just an extension” of the rolesplayed out in family dynamics. In every family there will be “customers forchange”&emdash;those who stand to benefit from upsetting the applecart, oftenthe family scapegoats or those who feel disenfranchised. But there are also”guardians of the status quo,” who like things just the way they are andvigorously protect their turf. One of Messervey’s clients compared change in hisfamily to “bowling in sand.”Every family has its own set of myths, roles, and rules or customs. But at thesame time, there are “secrets” and “unspeakables”; these hidden shames are theaction points for changeTo demonstrate, Messervey showed a short clip from “Prince of Tides,” showing asharply dysfunctional family. Nick Nolte plays a husband who blocks his wife’severy attempt to bring up important issues. But at the same time, he and his ownmother have some serious unfinished business to take care of&emdash;deep anddark “unspeakables”&emdash;which causes every interaction between them to run upagainst a wall of mutual hostility.In Nolte’s fictional family, as in any other, those who are ignored find a wayto act out and be noticed. And since family members know better than anyone elsehow to hit the “hot buttons” that will get a reaction from other family members,the stakes can be pretty high. When you know how to get someone really furious,you run the risk of starting a long-lasting feud that could run for decades. ButMesservey comments, “they must have really cared for each other; you don’t fightif you don’t care.”He believes many of the silly disagreements among family members are “to addheat. Over time, all relationships cool.” These little sparks are a way to keepthe relationship fresh and interesting, even after a half-century or more, asMesservey demonstrated with a second video clip, from “For Better or ForWorse”&emdash;where, despite 56 years of happy marriage, a couple still can’tlet go of an ancient minor argument.But that family was able to openly air their disagreement. In families withdeeper problems, attempts at communication are