![\"business-partner-guys\"](\"https:\/\/blog.thegentsplace.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/business-partner-guys-300x130.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tWorking with a relative, be they a spouse, brother, or distant cousin, can be a very successful and rewarding business strategy. It can also be a bit tricky and can bring out the worst in your respective relationships. Here are our suggestions for managing this complex situation:\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n
1. Communication<\/strong> 2. Continue Your Personal Relationship<\/strong> There is no need to stress the importance of this tip if the family member is a spouse, but it\u2019s also important to invest in your personal relationship of the more distant relatives that you work with. This will build trust and respect between the two parties, which will benefit your working relationship as well.<\/p>\n 3. Keep Egos in Check<\/strong> 4. Define Roles and Expectations<\/strong> 5. Realize When It\u2019s Not Working<\/strong> Have you discovered your own tips and tricks for working with relatives? We\u2019d love to hear them in the comments section!<\/em>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Working with a relative, be they a spouse, brother, or distant cousin, can be a very successful and rewarding business strategy. It can also be a bit tricky and can…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1420,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[74,57],"tags":[168,281,282,283],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nCommunication should be your number one priority for making this situation work. Even though it may be harder to confront a family member about a business issue that needs to be addressed, it has to happen. Both parties involved must realize that issues have to be resolved in order for the company to be successful. While a calm and logical communication style is always preferred, it\u2019s unrealistic to think there won\u2019t be any heated arguments. The important thing to remember is never to deliberately attack each other personally during these time. Investing in your working relationship is investing in the business, so communicate in a valuable way as often as possible.<\/p>\n
\nIt\u2019s easy to fall into a routine of only seeing your relative during working hours, or only talking about work whenever you see them. You need to make an effort to continue the personal relationship you had outside of work. If you\u2019re working with a close relative, like a sibling or spouse, be sure to set aside time where you interact and do not talk about work. If it\u2019s a distant relative you may not have spent a lot of time with before your business venture, it may be beneficial to attend some non-work activities together so that you can get to know each other a little better.<\/p>\n
\nEgos can be a hard thing to manage, and it can be especially hard depending on the dynamic of the personal relationship between the two involved. However, successful ego management is vital to the success of the business. Nothing will come from a\u00a0clash of egos.<\/p>\n
\nThis tip is related to communication, but your personal relationship and your business will benefit from clearly defining the roles and expectations of both parties. Conflict and overall resentment can result when employees are confused about their responsibilities. This is especially true when working with relatives. Be sure to discuss and agree upon all facets of the position, including tasks, responsibilities, time requirements, compensation, as well as influence and power within the company.<\/p>\n
\nOur final tip is to simply realize that these situations do not always work. Whether it be that the business is failing, there is too much strain on the personal relationship, or one of the parties involved is just ready to move on, you may have to realize that it\u2019s time to cut your losses. Hopefully you followed the tips above and built enough trust in the work relationship that the personal relationship can be salvaged when the business ends. Trust us, you do not want to have a family member as an old, scorned business partner.<\/p>\n