Hug of War - by Cathy Carroll (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"...masterfully addresses the polarities which confront families in business." -John A. Warnick, Esq., founder, Purposeful Planning Institute

"This book will endure for many years..."-Janet M. Harvey, CEO, inviteCHANGE, author of From Tension to Transformation: A Leader's Guide to Generative Change

"This book should be an arm's length away for every family business advisor and business-owning family member." -Kristin Keffeler, chief learning officer, author of The Myth of the Silver Spoon: Navigating Family Wealth & Creating an Impactful Life, and co-author of Wealth 3.0: The Future of Family Wealth Advising

Should you fire your deadweight brother-in-law or comply with your mom's pleas to give him a raise? Should you pay all your kids the same, based on the market, or based on how many of your grandkids they raise? These are the questions family business leaders confront due to the opposing expectations of the family and the business.

Hug of War offers a new path forward. When the competing impulses of the family mindset and the business mindset are embraced as a polarity, leaders transcend either-or thinking and craft better solutions that embrace the best of both mindsets.

With stories that take you into the hearts and heads of real-life family business leaders, Hug of War offers a bridge to greater harmony in your family, greater clarity in your mind, and greater peace in your heart.

Review Quotes

"A groundbreaking guide for family business, Hug of War masterfully addresses the polarities which confront families in business. Cathy's pro tips alone are worth many times your investment. Hug of War is a gift to family enterprises and essential for advisors seeking to crack the code to unlocking planning paralysis and managing difficult family dynamics." -John A. Warnick, Esq., founder, Purposeful Planning Institute

"Cathy Carroll, in Hug of War, asks us to embrace polarity thinking and practice as skills families and their advisors can use to find great answers to resolving issues presented by competing business mindsets and family mindsets in family businesses. She succeeds wonderfully. I highly recommend her book." -James E. Hughes, Jr., author of Family Wealth: Keeping it in the Family, Family: the Compact Among Generations, and co-author of Complete Family Wealth, Version Two

"Being there in a front-row seat and sometimes the head of the table generates wisdom and compassion that can deliver tough love with a hug. This author embodies these traits generously and deftly. Realize that America's multigenerational family-owned businesses in total contribute $7.7 trillion annually to the US gross domestic product, accounting for 83.3 million jobs, or 59 percent of the country's private workforce (FEUSA 2023 Report). This book will endure for many years, pages tagged and highlighted to come back to when emotionally highjacked, for guidance and remembrance that two disparate things do coexist and it's our humanity that [sees] both flourish." -Janet M. Harvey, CEO, inviteCHANGE, author of From Tension to Transformation: A Leader's Guide to Generative Change

"Cathy Carroll gets into some of the deepest and most important issues that confront members of a business family. Fortunately for every reader, she also provides useful and actionable advice. It's going to make a positive difference in the lives of many families." -Mitzi Perdue, author of How to Make Your Family Business Last across the Generations

"Using captivating storytelling and actionable guidance, Carroll explores the many tangled relationships inherent in the family business landscape. Ultimately, she gives the reader reason to exhale, calmed in knowing that there is a way through the complexity. Applying the power of polarity thinking and both/and solutions, Cathy shares how families can find a path to supporting both business goals and family relationships. This book should be an arm's length away for every family business advisor and business-owning family member." -Kristin Keffeler, chief learning officer, author of The Myth of the Silver Spoon: Navigating Family Wealth & Creating an Impactful Life, and co-author of Wealth 3.0: The Future of Family Wealth Advising

"Cathy Carroll's Hug of War provides a vital map for those navigating the complexities of working together while being family. With many relatable illustrations, readers will not only see themselves in this book but will also learn actionable ways to make forward progress." -Kristen Heaney, MSW, BCC, family legacy coach, author of In Three Generations: A Story about Family, Wealth, and Beating the Odds