Within a mesh of expectations: Dealing with dilemmas in business families using systemic tools from family coaching

Abstract

Business family members face challenges related to exposure to diverse role expectations and systems logics, the management of which often results in situations of high complexity, dilemmas, and paradoxes. To address these issues, in this paper we combine key insights from social systems theory with systemic family coaching tools such as “internal maps,” the “expectation carrousel,” and the “tetralemma.” In drawing on an illustrative example from a family business succession planning context, we demonstrate how systemic approaches may help business family members to (a) creatively reflect on both the personal and interpersonal expectations they are confronted with and (b) manage issues of decision-making in dilemmatic or paradoxical situations.