19-12-2025
When good intentions meet hidden obstacles
I was helping the leader of a manufacturing SME who was very keen to improve and grow his business. He was very enthusiastic and had plenty of ideas. Our first sessions were fruitful, and improvements achieved quickly with relatively simple actions.
However, as time passed, he often asked to delay and re-schedule sessions. He also seemed to struggle to implement the actions agreed during previous sessions.
After digging deeper, the reasons for this change of attitude became clearer:
- In parallel with his role in the manufacturing business, he was also running a property development business, which was taking more of his time than he had anticipated.
- While he was running the manufacturing business together with his brother, it turned out that it was his brother who was the Managing Director.
- However, in practice neither of them could make decisions without referring to their father who had created the business many years ago and was not inclined to authorise any significant changes.
This real-life example illustrates common issues often faced by family businesses.
Lack of focus trying to deal with too many issues
In trying to simultaneously manage two businesses, neither received the attention it deserved.
When we try to chase multiple opportunities at once, we often end up catching none of them. Growth requires focus, and focus requires difficult choices about where to invest our limited time and resources.
No clear definition of roles, responsibilities and authority
Even though he presented himself as the business leader, it is his brother who was the Managing Director. Neither had clearly defined responsibilities or decision-making authority. This ambiguity slowed things down and created a barrier to progress.
When roles are not clearly defined, accountability evaporates, and simple decisions become obstacles. Every business needs to be clear about who owns what, who decides what and who is accountable for what.
The founder’s succession planning was stalling everything
This is probably the biggest revelation. Their father, who founded the business years ago, still held ultimate veto over any significant changes. Despite stepping back from day-to-day operations, he remained unwilling to authorise meaningful evolution.
The challenge of succession planning is not just about passing on ownership; it is about truly transferring authority and trusting the next generation to lead. Without this, the business remains unable to adapt to new markets, technologies, or opportunities.
Actions taken
Having realised the need to address these fundamental issues, actions were taken as an outcome of our sessions: -
- Winding down involvement in the property development business on completion of the last project.
- Agreeing with his brother as the Managing Director that he should focus more on the growth of the business instead of spending all his time dealing with day-to-day issues.
- Approaching their father together to prepare the future and come up with a plan to transfer roles and authority.
Conclusion
Surprisingly, people’s perception of their main challenge is not always apparent.
The hardest part of business growth isn't always strategy or execution. Sometimes it's about being able to confront uncomfortable truths about the structure, focus, and readiness for change.
Helping you
I help CEOs of small and medium-sized engineering companies to prepare their business so they can achieve profitable growth.
To discuss a strategy to identify and address your specific challenges, please use the link below to arrange a FREE 30-minute conversation.