SEMINAR 3: Building Trust in the Family Owner Group: Clarifying Roles and Aligning on Goals

Family businesses transitioning from the owner-manager stage to a larger and more diverse family ownership group often lack the practices necessary to assure owner alignment and avoid conflict. Many times, owner groups are perched on the lip of what we call the “conflict spiral,” ready to descend into fractured communication and hostile relationships. Our presenters have found that the “four-room model” provides a clear and practical perspective on how governance and decision-making can evolve in successful family enterprises. Creating a space for owners to receive information, interact, learn, discuss, and make appropriate decisions is often key to building trust in what otherwise can be a fractured and politicized group of owners. This topic will be explored using a short case and discussion groups.

• Part 1 - Building trust through building out the “four-rooms” of governance
• Part 2 - Recognizing traps in owner groups that damage trust and foster conflict