When we build a business with family, we may share the same history and hopes for the future, yet see challenges, decisions and everyday conversations very differently. At Lost in Translation: Navigating Multigenerational Communication, Dr Ricky Fernando helped us explore how these differences can quietly create distance between generations. Through the personal experiences shared by Devi Leonata and Intan Ramadania, we were reminded that meaningful communication is not simply about speaking more. It begins when we create space for every generation in our families to feel heard, respected and understood.

Many of us recognise the tension between experience and change. Senior generations may draw upon knowledge and intuition built over decades, while younger family members may seek greater clarity, data and professional structure. Both perspectives come from a desire to protect and strengthen the business. The challenge begins when we assume that our own way of communicating is the only one that should be understood.

Communication becomes even more complex when our roles at home follow us into the workplace. A parent may still see a son or daughter as a child, even when they carry important business responsibilities. A younger family member may hesitate to question a decision because professional disagreement could be interpreted as personal disrespect. When these concerns remain unspoken, they can gradually become silent conflicts that affect trust, decision-making and succession.

Our conversation reminded us that strong family businesses are not those that never disagree. They are those that learn how to disagree without weakening their relationships. This requires us to listen for the intention behind one another’s words, explain our ideas in ways other generations can understand and separate personal relationships from professional responsibilities when necessary.

The session brought together 16 attendees from Malaysia and Indonesia and recorded an NPS of +16. More importantly, it gave us an opportunity to reflect on a question that every family enterprise should consider: does every generation in our family have a genuine opportunity to be heard?

At Taylor’s Centre for Family Business (TCFB), we will continue creating spaces where families can explore difficult questions, share honest experiences and learn from one another. We invite you to begin with one conversation in your own family. Clarify one unspoken expectation, listen to one perspective you may usually dismiss or ask what another generation needs from you. The conversations we begin today could strengthen both your relationships and your businesses for generations to come.