Families often complain about the challenge of getting siblings and cousins more engaged in business and family activities. There is a great divide between the “make it happen” people and the “watch it happen” people in the family, and a risk of burnout for the family members who are providing the leadership.
Carl Robinson, Ph.D., Managing Partner, Vantage Leadership Consulting In a family enterprise, the greatest challenge is to engage family members effectively in leadership roles and governing board participation. The development of future leaders in the family is critical to its future, and the leaders' participation in family governance is key to sustaining the enterprise. As team of nationally recognized leadership consultants he will put a spotlight on the critical leadership skills needed in a complex family enterprise.
Parents want to do what is best for their children and teach them appropriate life lessons at appropriate developmental stages. Knowing what to teach children when is an art, something at which every caring parent wants to be successful. The skill building pyramid outlined in this paper provides a means to gain clarity as to what, specifically, parents are trying to teach their children and how best to go about teaching them.
When the time comes for assets to be dispersed among heirs, everyday objects of sentimental value can become contested belongings. Many parents admit to worrying about the sibling rivalries this process may stir up. Yet, uncertain how to confront these issues, many tend to simply hope for the best. A better course of action: proactive discussion, as a family, during a parent’s lifetime.
Approached the right way, a prenuptial agreement can strengthen the bonds of marriage and encourage a productive, healthy discussion of finances and expectations. Many religions require a discussion of finances in premarital counseling, but talking about money is very difficult and not a topic many people are accustomed to discussing.
When surveyed two years ago, U.S. family businesses were warily eyeing their next big bet but hesitant to place it. Now, they’re actively playing their hand. This report highlights the views of 100 owners, leaders and top executives of U.S. family businesses across a variety of industries.
Parents often struggle with determining when to talk with children about family finances, what information to share and how family wealth can be used to provide children with the best resources and opportunities without creating passive expectations that discourage financial independence. This sourcebook provides recommended resources categorized by type and, when appropriate, organized by age group.
Questions of what should be revealed, to whom and when all make up what Inheriting Wisdom refers to as the “Transparency Myth.” The Transparency Myth relates to the belief that transparency among families, although generally considered a good attribute, can also have less productive results if offered at inopportune times. This paper examines in-depth the question of transparency, arguing that transparency among families of wealth is not a zero sum game.
Despite the best of intentions, transferring an investment property or vacation home to more than one recipient – without first considering the financial and emotional repercussions – may cause disputes, confusion or unexpected responsibilities. Answering the questions posed here can help provide valuable guidance.
Not every family member may want to be directly involved in a family’s core operating business. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t be part of the family’s legacy. A family bank gives all family members the opportunity to be “makers” rather than simply benefiting from the hard work of those who came before them.