Services

Succession Planning

In past generations, owning a business meant running the business. Today’s options are broader and more complex as many families are blended, mended and extended and as younger generation family members may be more focused on “quality of life.” So, how do you choose the next leader of the business? Can it be more than one? Can it be a non-family member? Do siblings sit in judgment of siblings? What if mom and/or dad aren’t ready to “let go?”

Conflict Management

All too often family members believe it’s their mission in life to avoid conflict. We believe that a certain amount of conflict is healthy in a family enterprise when it comes from strongly held beliefs and perspectives. The goal in family enterprise is not to eliminate conflict but, rather, to learn to manage it.

• Gain deeper insight into underlying issues
• Assess family issues for their impact on the business
• Assess business issues for their impact on the family
• Establish processes for conflict resolution
• Sort and clarify complex issues
• Build communication skills
• Reconcile differing perspectives
• Create accountability standards
• Clarify roles and responsibilities
• Design compensation models
• Create family Codes of Conduct

Strategic Planning

Once upon a time, a family business strategic plan was created and followed to fruition. But given today’s extraordinary pace of change, it’s all about positioning the business for strategic intent. Plans get cast in Jell-O instead of in cement. And, sometimes, family members have differing views of the future.

• Articulate their short and long term goals
• Reconcile differing visions
• Sort and clarify complex issues
• Guide strategic planning and positioning process
• Create, implement and monitor a strategic plan

Intergenerational Communication

Sometimes, even the simplest of conversations can be difficult in a family business – especially when emotions are intense. We offer family business communication strategies to those members of family businesses who want to elevate their listening and message delivery skills to a new level.

As they separate the emotion from the message, they gain a clearer understanding of the words they are hearing. As clients learn to anticipate the reactions of others, we help them minimize assumptions and facilitate dialogue that is reflective and respectful.

We help family businesses:

• Conduct communication workshops
• Sort and clarify complex issues
• Create family and business Codes of Conduct
• Facilitate family-business retreats
• Define roles and responsibilities
• Engage in team building experiences