Tom Hubler is a thought leader of our time and for this time. Tom began his family business consulting practice in 1980 as one of the few professionals addressing family-owned businesses in the U.S. As an experienced senior consultant and trusted advisor, he has counseled more than five hundred private family businesses over the course of his career. DOWNLOAD

Tom continues to shape this important field, helping families strengthen connections and eliminate barriers to healthy, productive family and business relationships. I invited Tom into our home-office studio so we could talk about family business ownership and some of the gems he has outlined in his book, The SOUL of Business: A Practical Guide to Family Business Success and a Loving Family.

Tom and I have the same philosophy about business ownership. Asserting self-leadership while redesigning your business is a dual innovation process. Working on yourself is just as important as working on your business. In the business consulting arena, this is also referred to as building emotional equity as you expand business equity. This is particularly important in building a family legacy to pass on.

Tom’s work was shaped during the time when most business owners were male and the role of their counterpart (wife|spouse|significant other) was as a sounding board and administrative|operational assistant. Many family-businesses are still run this way.

Entrepreneurs often involve family members in a venture. They didn’t start out with a plan for it to be this way. They evolved into that family business model as the entrepreneur needed to be resourceful in growing a successful business. A cost-effective approach that would build value and keep family members involved in a potentially prosperous lifestyle that could turn into multi-generational careers.

We discuss the importance of planning and figuring out a family participation plan; types of meetings to have and with whom, and we sort out a few topics for those family meetings like updating family traditions. Tom has great infrastructure ideas and insights to keep family-owned businesses connected and prosperous. We discuss what works in successful family-businesses and what doesn’t work. You will be introduced to the spiritual practice of Kything in business.

Here is the interaction between Tom and a client when Tom discussed structure. Tom’s client says, “We don’t need a structure and formality, we love each other.” Tom retorts, “It is because you love each other you need structure and formality.”

Plus, a bonus. Tom recites two poems he wrote about his father entitled, Special Moments with Dad and Cotton and the Rock on the Railroad.

WeMentor Self-Leadership Activation Exercises

After listening, do the following WeMentor Self-Leadership Exercises:

1. Gratitude: Incorporate some Metta into your day. Metta is the meditation for loving-kindness and can build emotional equity with yourself and with other business relationships. I have adapted the meditation for us so you can easily repeat the phrases to yourself. “May all beings everywhere be peaceful and kind.” Start with yourself, “May I be peaceful and kind. May I interact with loving kindness. May each interaction I have throughout this day come from my loving heart. May, name as many people as you would like to include, be peaceful and kind. May we all be kind and find joy in our experiences with each other today.”
2. Take a risk: Read one of Tom Hubler’s published articles or purchase his book.  
3. Self-Compassion: When your daily plan shifts, incorporate a ‘breathing space break.’ Take three minutes to focus on your breathing in and out. This gives your mind time to adjust without judgement or attachment. Breathe a few minutes and allow yourself to readjust your schedule in your mind. No judgement. Allow breathing space breaks to focus in on what you feel inside.

Self-Leadership Mentoring Help

• Get One-On-One Mentoring during your transition. It is much easier to change when you know what is happening in your inner world. Paul Turek of Turek Consulting LLC says, “Nancy is a well-connected leadership development icon in this market… she’s got an interesting perspective on identifying and addressing leadership opportunities within oneself that is timely in our diverse and mobile workforce these days.”
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Episode 195  The SOUL of Family Business with Tom Hubler   Hubler Family Business