TRACTION for families in business
It was a privilege to facilitate a TRACTION “Family Bike Build experience” for 20 members across 3 generations of a 4 generation local family as part of their annual family get together in October.
The family is an enterprising one, actively engaged in multiple businesses, with deeply held family values and a commitment to life long learning. The theme for their 2024 get together was "There's no TRACTION without action!".
TRACTION was invited to facilitate the experience to provide a safe learning environment for family members to connect in a meaningful way and introduce TRACTION's impactful work helping young people in community.
“We wanted to show our kids, and there’s been 3 generations here, some practical things that people like you and the TRACTION team are doing in social enterprise. ”
Family businesses are unique in many ways and make a significant contribution to our communities and economy through the products and services they provide, the people they employ and empower, the supply chains they build, and the cultures they create across their ecosystems. Family members each have different strengths and ways to contribute from within and outside the organisation. We applaud this family for their dedication, over many years, to getting the family together to cultivate a shared vision and plan for the realisation of their potential.
“Part of our ethos is the spend as much time on the business of family, as we spend on the family business.”
The TRACTION team hosted the group at our Alexandra Hills workshop where we not only got on the tools and built bikes together, which were donated back to TRACTION, we discussed the importance of finding one's purpose in life, discovering our unique strengths and chasing hopes and dreams - in whatever form they be!
It was a delightful chance for our professional Mentors and program facilitators to work alongside the family members and share stories of the impact they've helped young people realise through their TRACTION experience.
“The philanthropy part of a family business is a very powerful glue that can continue the family business through the generations.”
In the afternoon, the family did a 'check in' and reflected on their TRACTION Bike Build experience. Some of their one-word descriptions were: Inspiring, Fun, Thought-provoking, Inclusive and Humbling.
Some of family members were kind enough to share their reflections and experience in the following video.
“It’s not about the bike, it’s the conversation, it’s what you learn ... about your mentor, your fellow bike fixer, about yourself. And when you’re in a safe environment ... there is a trust that’s built up, and I think a lot of young people have never found that before.”
If you would like to find out more about how to include a TRACTION “Family Bike Build experience” as part of your family business planning, community engagement and philanthropic efforts, please CONTACT US.