Digital Dealer - October 2017 - 9

Try to understand their
feelings and incorporate
their thoughts with the
objective perspectives of
your advisers into your
decision.
Don't be reluctant to
challenge your NextGen's feelings which
may generate dialogue,
debate, or an emotional
letting. It is appropriate to
have this experience in a
pre-employment dialogue.
The nature of the dialogue
generally confirms premonition. Regardless of
how your Next-Gen feels,
remember "when" to hire
is ultimately your decision.
Review the objective feedback and ensure that the
reasons behind your NextGen wanting to enter the
business, makes business
sense.
THE BUSINESS'
PERSPECTIVE

Hiring a Next-Gen is
a big deal. Their arrival
creates distractions and
elicits an opinion from all
your employees. Most of
the time, their response to
"the boss' kid is on board"
is not good. If you don't
prepare your dealership(s)
for the employment of
your Next-Gen, gossip
can spread like a wild fire
with such bizarre thoughts
as: "The owner's next-gen
got fired and couldn't get
another job. Now I am
going to have to do my job
and babysit the boss' kid.
It's the beginning of the
end; the boss is going to
retire and his kid is going
to run this place in the

ground." So have a plan
and involve your management team.
Notably, there should
be a job opening for which
your Next-Gen is compatible relative to his or her
skills, knowledge, and experience. Your managers
should also be prepared
to train and coach your
Next-Gen. If your managers don't think it is a good
time to be hiring your
Next-Gen, listen. Reciprocally, if they believe it
is time to be proactive in

that you are developing
a plan for your Next-Gen.
Involve them and ask
for their input in helping
develop a plan not only for
employment, but also for
successor development.
Involving your managers in the creation of a
Successor Development
Program reassures them
you are not going to turn
the company over to a
nincompoop. Be clear
about employment plans
to your Next-Gen family
members as soon as

DON'T BE RELUCTANT
TO CHALLENGE YOUR
NEXT-GEN'S FEELINGS
WHICH MAY GENERATE
DIALOGUE, DEBATE,
OR AN EMOTIONAL
LETTING."
the recruiting and hiring of
your Next-Gen, listen.
A key component of the
plan, which can be adopted years in advance, is a
Family Member Employment Policy that stipulates
the formal criteria and
process for employment in
the business. By involving your managers in the
process, you will send a
reassuring message that
you are not going to burden them with babysitting.
Be mindful there is a
difference between an
FME and a Successor.
Communicate with your
managers and key employees well in advance

they graduate from high
school, so they understand the family business
is serious business, not
an opportunity to ride the
coattails of their parents
or siblings. Share the Successor Development Program after your Next-Gen
distinguishes themselves
in your business as a role
model for commitment,
effort, and enthusiasm.
Recognize, when you
are hiring a Next-Gen,
you are bringing in a new
role model for behavior
and attitude. So, be very
explicit to your Next-Gen
as to what you expect and
it is critical, that they buy

into the vision and mission
of your business. Ideally,
you would also adopt
Family Member Employee
Performance Expectations. Don't let your NextGen make assumptions
regarding expectation
or make up his/her own
rules. Most importantly, do
not supervise your NextGen or allow another family member to do so. Find
a mentor and always meet
with your Next-Gen's
direct report and express
to them you want them to
not give your Next-Gen
special treatment. Of
course, they will give them
special treatment, but by
meeting with them they
will feel more empowered to hold your NextGen accountable to the
employee handbook and
their personal standards
of performance, which
are critical to training and
development.
Excerpt from Family Business
Heartburn Relief - Section 2, Chapter 6
Relationship with Children

LOYD H. RAWLS, President/
CEO of The Rawls Group,
has specialized in succession
planning for closely-held,
family owned businesses
since 1973. Well respected
in his field, Mr. Rawls is a
highly requested speaker
and has published numerous
articles and publications on
this subject such as "Seeking
Succession: How to Continue
the Family Business Legacy"
and "The Succession Bridge:
Key Manager Succession
Alternatives for Family
Owned Businesses."

D I G I TA L D E A L E R . C O M

OCTOBER 2017

9
http://www.DIGITALDEALER.COM
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Dealer - October 2017
