Ep 19: Navigating Conflict in Family Businesses
In this episode, Mediator, Negotiation Consultant, and Conflict Coach Scott Loring, Principal at Cooperative Coaching & Mediation, shares his expertise on navigating the complex and often deeply personal conflicts that arise in family businesses. Drawing on decades of experience resolving disputes, he explains how blurred boundaries, unclear expectations, and the overlap of family identity with business roles can create tension especially during pivotal moments like leadership transitions or business exits.
He highlights how unresolved issues, sometimes rooted in childhood dynamics, resurface and impact not only relationships but overall workplace health, from employee turnover to morale. Loring emphasizes that while solutions to conflict may be straightforward, they are rarely easy, requiring honest, productive communication and a willingness to move toward understanding rather than agreement with a shared desire to improve.
touchstoneadvisors.com
touchstoneadvisors.com
Creators and Guests
Host
Deborah Agrafojo
Deborah has influenced and directed strategic and owner-operator mergers and acquisitions in many different fields. She believes strongly that assisting a business to grow and develop strong practices is the best way to create a company that is poised for exit planning or gaining an equity growth partner.
Producer
David Chmielewski
At the end of 2013 David founded DirectLine Media, a video production company that specializes in creating memorable and compelling video content for businesses. Admired for his unique and creative visual story telling, David continues to work with small to large businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Guest
Scott Loring
Scott Loring is a Mediator, Negotiation Consultant, and Conflict Coach. Since 2000, Scott has brought his communication, conflict resolution, and team-building skills to individuals, families, non-profits, and business teams. Scott has particular expertise assisting client-focused businesses and non-profits, helping stakeholders, employees, volunteers, and staff negotiate internal and external issues such as salary negotiations, business mergers, and the inevitable conflicts that arise between co-workers. Scott was trained by Meditation Works, Inc. (MWI) and Harvard University’s Program on Negotiation (PON). He has worked with clients in his private practice, mediating over 200 disputes. He specializes in resolving Family Business disputes and conflicts between Business Partners. Scott is also a Certified Professional Coactive Coach (CPCC) and a graduate of the country's premier coaching schools, the Coaches Training Institute (CTI) and the Executive Coaching Institute (ECI). He holds a Certificate in Organizational and Relationship System Coaching (ORSC) to better work with teams and relationships in business. Scott’s success as a coach and mediator is based on his ability to help clients achieve clarity through his intuition, deep listening, and a direct, supportive communication style
Editor
Stefania Sassano
Known for being determined and focused, Stefania is often the first to memorize lines and dedicates significant effort to each role. She excels in both comedic and dramatic performances, embracing the motto by Mark Twain, "Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life," making every project both a professional commitment and a joy.