“Elizabeth consulted with all family members confidentially, assessing and guiding us in ways that empowered individuals to lead relationship repairs and refocus our family on our shared business vision. She’s since provided invaluable coaching to support intergenerational change in our business culture and leadership.” (Michael Docherty, Executive, Lyndoc Capital Group)
This is the work that makes my heart sing, and Michael Docherty’s words say it best. I love working with family and couple-driven businesses because it brings together my two passions: relationship skills and conflict management.
Our personal, family, and business lives are tightly woven together. When stress builds in one area, it almost always spills into the others. If your business partner is also your spouse, sibling, or parent—or if you’re part of a startup—the stakes are even higher.
Why conflict in family business is different Balancing work-life boundaries, managing personality clashes, and handling unresolved family history can be complex. Birth order, gender, parental influence, and sibling dynamics can shape how leadership roles, succession planning, and decision-making unfold. Left unaddressed, these undercurrents can turn into long-standing tensions that drain focus, weaken trust, and slow business progress.
Families often live with these tensions for years—until one brave, or frustrated, person finally says, “We need help.”
My role As a conflict management consultant, I help family businesses:
Understand the difference between solvable and perpetual conflicts
The Gottman Institute’s 50 years of world-renown research into couple and family relationships consistently found that only 31% of interpersonal conflicts are solvable. Perhaps surprisingly, 69% of these relationship issues are perpetual, recurrent problems that may never be resolved, but require ongoing discussion and better understanding. These problems are managed with empathy, humour and goodwill
Create structures and processes for respectful, robust conversations that protect both relationships and results
Dr Karen Bridbord’s groundbreaking book, “The Relationship -Driven Leader”, recently published in Australia, has taken the Gottman Institute’s research and highlights how nurturing strong work relationships leads to better productivity and greater overall wellness throughout the organisation and among its staff. Bridbord reveals the detrimental impact dysfunctional relationships can have on both personal and business achievements, and how to come back from what she calls the failure of relationship systems.
Strengthen intergenerational collaboration and leadership transitions
The challenge of leading intergenerational change in leadership and business and family roles can’t be understated. High levels of trust, the skills of compromise, and knowing how to continue an unfolding family story, underpins how families a series of difficult conversations with grace, navigate complex situations, and create an ongoing harmonious and supportive family life.
How a Relationship Conflict Assessment helps
My workshops, training, and coaching provide you with practical strategies and resources to confidently navigate difficult conversations, resolve conflicts constructively within the family and the business, and build resilient and respectful relationships across both spheres.
The goal isn’t to “eliminate” conflict—it’s to manage it with empathy, humour, and goodwill so it no longer derails your business or damages your family bonds.
My role is to provide a safe, neutral space where all voices can be heard. Through individual and confidential consultations, we explore:
- The factors behind current and past concerns
- Barriers to effective communication
- Possible solutions and new ways of working together
From this assessment, you’ll have clear, evidence-based recommendations for moving forward—grounded in both relationship science and practical business needs.
If your business needs to:
- Improve how you hold family business discussions
- Increase understanding of different perspectives
- Better manage emerging or potential conflicts
- Maximise participation and inclusion in decision-making
- Build on both personal and professional strengths
…then it might be time to start with an independent relationship conflict assessment.
