Conflict vs. Friction: Why You Need Both
We often view conflict as a failure of family harmony. In reality, a complete lack of conflict usually suggests one of two things: apathy or fear. If no one is arguing, it’s possible no one cares enough to fight for a better direction.
The goal for a family business member shouldn’t be a "peaceful" boardroom, but a "productive" one. Friction is what happens when two people care deeply about different solutions. To harness this without destroying Christmas dinner, you need "Rules of Engagement":
Attack the problem, not the person.
Define a "Cooling Off" period before making final votes on heated topics.
Use a Neutral Moderator if the "sibling dynamic" starts to overshadow the "business dynamic."
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