Do a Strategic Retreat with Your Family

Carrie and Steve both have high-powered jobs — Carrie in graphic design and Steve as a CFO. Steve wants to make a job change, but to find a job that pays as well, the family may have to move. They were conflicted about this and having trouble sorting everything out.
I suggested that they treat their family as a business enterprise and do a strategic retreat. Go away for a couple of days or sit down for a deep discussion, and examine what the costs of a job change — tangible and intangible — would be. I advised them to make a list of the things they each value, including elements such as:

A good neighborhood for the kids.
Someone to be home after school.
Enough income to support their needs.
A suitable place to worship nearby.
Good health and retirement benefits.
Jobs that allow everyone to be home for dinner most nights.

By talking through each item on their list, Steve and Carrie can come to a consensus about what the next step should be. This process shifts the emphasis so all of the family’s needs come into play, not just financial concerns.

The Playbook

Take your family as seriously as you do your business. Plan a strategic retreat to talk about where you stand, where you’re headed, and how everyone is feeling.
Go away for a weekend or hire someone to coach you through the process.
Draw your children into the process. Get their opinions about how they would rank the various choices. For example, ask them if they would rather have mom and dad home every night or take an annual vacation to Disney World. The answer might surprise you.

Check out our new Leaders Connect Breakfast in Detroit:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rob-pasick-leaders-connect-breakfast-detroit-with-ari-weinzweig-on-beliefs-tickets-27212045962?utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=order_confirmation_email&utm_term=eventname&ref=eemailordconf

Also look for my new ebook coming out soon.
From Self-Awareness to Emotional Intelligence: Dr. Rob’s Workbook for Success in Work and Life.