AboutBrian Thompson Expertise My expertise extends to general management, financial management, corporate govenance and everyday managerial problem solving
Experience I have in excess of 30 years experience in the management of public and private organisations
Question My husband & I started a business 24yrs ago. We have allowed our son to buy into the business 7 years ago. When our son bought into the business we expanded it and it has grown in size and is very profitable.
He has since married and his wife has joined the business in an administrative capacity. She comes from a very unconventional background and I'm finding that I need to protect our business both financially and from a confidentiality standpoint.
Her family already owes the company $3000.00 that she and our son lent them four years ago.
I am concerned because of ongoing indiscretions and and complaints from other family members in the business over confidentiality.
She has caused a lot of problems and interfered with management of the business and uses corporate resources to fund long distance phone calls and invites her family to visit at the business regularly.
A year ago we talked about this and she has promised that she would stop. It has not stopped and she is very aggressive when I try to address the situation.
Any suggestions as to how to resolve this delicate situation.
Answer I am under the impression that women can often have very frank discussions with each other, but I have to ask; where is your son and your husband in all of this. You don't need to put up with aggressive behaviour but this is better dealt with in a family/business conference situation. If this were a conventional business situation you would let this lady go, so you have to start thinking of this as an option. Perhaps you could find a division of the business she could run where she is isolated from confidential information, sort of a promotion sideways
It seems clear that the lines of communication and responsibility are blurred. So there need to be clear lines of authority/responsibility here, then you can act within your authority. Why don't you start by suggesting that the loan be converted to a personal loan from you son and his wife to the family member as the business should not bear the burden of this. Having one of her decisions reversed can have the effect of giving her cause for contemplation, I would also suggest she be given some formal business management training under the guise of management development and of course if anyoneelse needs it send them too
