Governance is the only clutching counterforce that works

As kids, spinning out of control was a lot of fun. As family business owners, not so much. But rapid changes, coming from both inside and outside of the family business, fuel the spinning force we all must contend with.

Before we grapple with that, go back in time, back when family business was not on your mind. Did the childhood amusement park you visited have a particular ride where, in the center of a big room there was a large, smooth wooden disc that spun around and around?

If so, you might recall how the ride operator would signal when it was time to hop onto that huge stationary disc. Everyone would madly rush to sit as close to the center as possible. Bruising collisions were common. Friends would clutch onto each other.  Continue reading....