Elephant in the room

phrase “in the room” implies that the issue is so large that no one couldn’t help but notice it. And since it is in the middle of the room, it means family members have deliberately walked around it and, worse, pretended it is not there, rather than deal with it. Many family-owned businesses struggle with these issues, yet rarely address them openly. Even next-generation leaders are left in the dark.

Is it because of the emotional nature of these issues that few people are only willing to raise them in whispers? The consequences of ignoring them are huge. They can produce serious impediments to growth and change over time, eventually undermining even the best laid-out business plans and a family’s hopes for enduring family harmony.

The elephants

The term refers to a question, problem or controversial issue that is obvious, but ignored by family members, primarily because it causes embarrassment and may “rock the boat.” The latter means stirring up trouble where none is welcome, disrupting things, promoting disharmony, upsetting family members and causing disagreement.

There are qualitative truths that business leaders must understand about elephants in the room and ignoring them does not make them go away. In fact, once they find a home, they tend to stay for good. And if I may add, baby elephants tend to get bigger over time. Just like all issues, the problem starts small and grows into something weighty.

I have listed some of the top “elephants” that must be addressed immediately, because setting them aside can cause disruption and will throw the family business off course, creating unnecessary frayed nerves and strained relationships:

– A black sheep family member – Family member( s) delibe