ABSTRACT
For family members and non-family executives and employees, working in a family enterprise can be a blessing and a curse, and usually the experience lies between the ends of this continuum, constantly moving between them. Within the organization of family business, three systems are alive and active: family, management and governance. Though it looks simple, it holds great potential for developing an understanding of the inherent complexity embodied in the overlaps of the family, management and ownership circles. In the consultation, the behavioural dynamic that evolved within our team came to parallel the dynamic within the organization. With enough knowledge of a family's dynamic and clarity about the organizational task, a family business consultant is in the position to help unpack these routines to support personal and organizational growth. In a family enterprise, although they may not serve good organizational practice, they often support the homeostasis of the family's emotional system.
