Getting the balance right between family and family business
When you live, work, and breathe in the same place — often with the same people — the line between family and business can get blurry. Learning to separate the two, however, can lead to better outcomes for both.
Transitioning a family business to the next generation is never easy. Too often, families avoid the topic altogether, which can create tension and confusion between family roles and business roles.
In February, nearly 30 graziers from across the Burdekin region joined NQ Dry Tropics for the first of the Succession Negotiation Workshop series. The workshop gave participants practical tools for starting tough conversations, separating family from business, and keeping both sides running smoothly.
The two-day workshop, led by Allan Parker, focused on negotiation, organisational change, and finding common ground — even with people who are reluctant to compromise. Attendees learned how to build skills before challenges arise, separating emotion from discussion and protecting family relationships while improving business outcomes.
Workshop facilitator and organiser, NQ Dry Tropics Community Engagement Facilitator Ashleigh Kilgannon, said the energy in the room was positive, with participants keen to apply the strategies and make proactive changes in their own family businesses.
“It was inspiring to see graziers eager to take what they learned and apply it to their own operations, the energy in the room was fantastic,” Ashleigh said.
“By building skills around negotiation and communication, families can maintain harmony at home while running more successful grazing businesses,” she said.
The second two-day workshop in the series will be held in Collinsville in May.
This workshop series was supported by the Landholders Driving Change (LDC2) project, funded by the Queensland Government through the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program.
