Leaving the family business (Genesis 28:5)
Welcome to my weekly Faith and Family Business reflections, where I (briefly) probe important questions that arise in family business – questions relating to behavior, relationships and legacy – from the angle of a Biblical story. For more information about this series, click here.
After Jacob steals Esau’s blessing, Esau plans to kill Jacob. The parents are concerned for Jacob’s safety.
Thus Isaac sent Jacob away. And he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother. (Gen 28:5)
Jacob has to get out of there or bad things will happen. The sibling rivalry and animosity resulting from the birthright-for-stew trade and the stolen blessing have created, in today’s terms, a toxic environment. Removing one of the participants is a necessary strategy.
There are times in the family business when the conditions and relationships are unhealthy, and the best answer may be for someone to leave. The decision is both difficult and painful, and it can feel like failure. But amidst the sense of uncertainty and disappointment, it also creates opportunities for change and new beginnings. The key is focusing on where you are going, not where you’ve been.
Have you or someone you know left, or even been forced out, of the family business? Instead of focusing on the pain, what new opportunities or positive changes emerged as a result?
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