Tree Farmer - July/August 2009 - (Page 26)

Successful Clint Ideas for Creating ties to the land By Family Meetings Bentz Summer is upon us — have you planned to have a family meeting at your next family gathering? For most people, the idea of pulling together a family meeting is only slightly more fun than going to your friendly family dentist. it doesn’t have to be that way. Maybe you are trying to get the courage together to have your first family meeting. no matter if you have been doing this for a long time or are just getting started, over the years i have found that there are some basic things you need to do in order to have these meetings be productive and help the family grow closer. Regular family meetings are at the heart of any successful family business, and are the meat and potatoes of a successful family transition plan. If done badly, they can also create more problems than they solve. If your family is in conflict, a meeting is not a magic wand that will overcome all problems. Putting some thought into the planning, execution, and follow-up for the meeting will greatly increase your chances of having a successful meeting. Here are some practical ideas to help you prepare for your next family meeting: • If you have family members or inlaws in conflict and not speaking to each other, invest some time and money to help them resolve their conflict before you have your family meeting. While mom and dad are still alive you have a much greater ability to resolve these conflicts between siblings and spouses than when they are gone. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger! Bitterness from unresolved conflicts is one of the leading causes of failure of families working together. There are many family counseling resources available — find one that works for your family! • Prepare a written agenda (what topics will be covered at the meeting) and circulate it to everyone prior to the meeting. Ask for their comments and additions. Do not have any surprises or “hidden agendas” at the meeting. Let the participants know up front what will be discussed, and if any decisions will be made as a result of the meeting, what those questions are and how the decisions will be made (advise and consent, majority rules, or consensus — see sidebar). • Pick a neutral site for the meeting, someplace that does not have any emotional connections to the family, such as a restaurant or a small conference room at a local hotel. This takes away “home court advantage” and will help family members to not regress into old habit patterns should difficult issues come up during the meeting. You may want to consider having your meeting someplace “warm,” like near a friendly beach in Hawaii. As long as the majority of your trip is dedicated to your business meeting, it may even be tax deductible. One of our best family meetings was held at Disneyland! • Carefully consider who should lead (facilitate) the meeting. It is important The 2002 National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year Clint Bentz of Scio, Oregon, is a CPA; reach him at or (503) 769-2186. 26 Tree Farmer JULY/AUGUST 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tree Farmer - July/August 2009

Tree Farmer - July/August 2009
Contents
Cover Story
Testing GPS Handhelds
No Child Left Inside
Tree Farming in Paradise
From Your Committees
Ties to the Land
Wildlife Matters

Tree Farmer - July/August 2009