Bob Selden is Family Business Central’s Regional Manager and an integral part of our team. We are excited to have him presenting at the upcoming New Zealand Family Business Conference.
Supporting people is an everyday occurrence for Bob. He has spent many years learning about motivation and how to help people achieve their best.
“In the past I was involved with sports coaching at the NSW Academy of Sport. It was my role to coach the coaches. It involved sports psychology, determining motivation and goal setting.”
He is also a successful author, publishing three different books about how communication makes a dramatic difference to people’s lives and to those around them.
At the Family Business Conference, Bob will be talking about conversations. He will discuss how to manage difficult or challenging conversations – because being able to talk reasonably, logically and without emotions taking over is a nuanced skill. Bob says,
“The intricacy in a family business means that conversations can be challenging.
Let’s consider this example… father is the head of the business, son is an employee. The son has made a mistake and the father needs to discuss it with him.
Depending on how the conversation is approached, the son might wonder – is he talking to me as my dad, as my manager or as a share-holder of the business? Is he going to reprimand me like he did when I was twelve and broke something?
The three conversations are different in tone, emotional impact and logic. The father and son need to make it clear what type of conversation it is… where the father might say ‘I’m talking to you as your manager.’ This enables clarity and removes the extra emotional layer.
The location of the conversation is also important. Business conversations should always be in the office or onsite… never at home.”
Bob recognises that for family businesses to succeed there needs to be clarity around business relationships and the family relationships.
“It’s important to have truly dedicated family time, separate from the business. Also, having clearly defined roles will assist in maintaining harmony.”
When Bob isn’t helping family businesses reach their goals, he is busy achieving his own.
An avid cyclist, he regularly hits the asphalt for a 60 to 70-kilometre ride. He also loves working with his hands and his next major project will be building his new home and establishing the surrounding landscaping.
Join us at the New Zealand Family Business Conference. Register online today.