The long-term success of a family enterprise hinges on more than just strong business acumen. It’s built on the strength of its human capital — the well-being and development of individual family members, and their ability to work together productively towards a shared vision. Yet as successful family enterprises grow in size, they inevitably face increasing complexity, and the demand for targeted coaching becomes even more crucial.
Family leaders often grapple with several critical questions that will shape the future of the enterprise:
To be clear, coaching isn’t just for traditional “leaders” and it goes beyond more systematic-focused business advice. It addresses the intricate dynamics of family relationships, ownership considerations, and the long-term vision for the enterprise. While experience or instinct are valuable, family members often benefit from the structured guidance and objective perspective a skilled coach can provide. This helps to unlock the full potential of family members so they can effectively navigate the unique challenges inherent to family businesses.
Coaching is a thought-provoking and creative partnership designed to help individuals, groups, or teams bring out their best personal and professional selves. It is a structured, yet emergent, process that helps explore solutions, overcome limitations, and foster accountability.
LGA’s coaching practice features experienced coaches with proven track records working with family enterprises around the world. They develop tailored approaches for family members and leaders, supporting them in building the resilience and self-awareness needed to successfully navigate the intersecting challenges of family dynamics, ownership, and business oversight inherent in a complex family enterprise.
Our specialized coaching services are tailored to the unique roles and responsibilities within a family enterprise. LGA offers targeted support to help you succeed, whether you’re running the business day-to-day, overseeing its governance, or stewarding your investment in the family business for the future. Specifically:
Effective coaching helps families foster healthy dynamics and relationships by nurturing the essential skills family members need, both individually and as a team. It also enables effective collaboration across generations, and ensures a healthy culture of leadership and stewardship rooted in the family’s unique values. Coaching for individual owners, regardless of their function, within a family system helps them become their best selves, which is especially important for effectively engaging within a challenging family enterprise context.
Our LGA coaches specialize in family enterprises, providing tailored coaching services to different types of owners that address the unique intersection of family dynamics and business operations. These services increase self-awareness and provide tools to support development in the following key areas:
Facilitating Communication and Conflict Resolution
Navigating Family Dynamics in the Business
Individual Coaching for Family Members
Family Coaching for Dyads or Groups
LGA’s Coaching services are available to support your family and non-family leaders, as well as the broader family enterprise by providing:
A successful family office will be a focal point for addressing a broad range of topics for a family.
This will include coordination of work from advisors on tax, legal, investment and other services.
The office should also have a strong risk management perspective.
Many family offices were established decades ago. Leaders of many offices are nearing retirement age. Recently an office, established in the early 90s with a non-family leader, engaged LGA to help them deal with executive transition. This office was set up by the wealth creator and operates as a Controlling Owner family office. The patriarch in his 80s had transferred ownership to the siblings in the next generation.
These last few months have been filled with activity, as we’ve expanded our global footprint through the addition of new team members, and increased our presence in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Later this summer, we will begin publishing episodes for the second season of our LGA Lighthouse Podcast, and will continue sharing fresh insights through a variety of articles, interviews, and other thoughtful content generated by our global advisory team.
Within that context, we’re thrilled to share with you the latest reflections from our Partner, Fernanda Jaramillo. In this edition of LGA Insights, Fernanda describes the importance for enterprising families of establishing and maintaining a shared vision to ensure continuity and legacy—particularly in moments of generational transition.
Envisioning the family enterprise as a tree allows us to better understand the practical hierarchy at play: the roots represent the foundational family dynamics, the strong trunk embodies the ownership structure, and the expansive canopy symbolizes the diverse business ventures. This visual framework brings new clarity to the dynamic interplay of roles, responsibilities, and priorities across all facets of the family’s enterprise.
Successful family enterprise leaders must tend both to the needs of the business and the family
Sharon Duguid and Wendy Ulaszek discuss the benefits, techniques and challenges of coaching family businesses.
Devin Deciantis and Nicolas Hollanders discuss the importance of engaging the next generation.
Ivan Lansberg and Devin DeCiantis discuss the importance of education with Dr. Jennifer Pendergast from Kellogg
Neus has 20 years of expertise in corporate and family business governance specializing in large Latin American and European.
Wendy is a partner that has over 15 years of consulting and counseling experience in individual, group, and organizational assessment and leadership development.
Francisco specializes in research and consulting for complex family enterprises. His duties included doing economic analysis and family business education.
Sharon has been consulting and coaching internationally to privately held and family-owned enterprises for over 25 years.
Mika advises family businesses on intergenerational transfer, strategy formulation, corporate governance, human capital development, and navigating complex changes
Bob has decades of experience as a global advisor, predominantly in the Middle East and South Asia, with a focus on strategic planning and governance.
Tim Yeung has a strong background in business and a deep understanding of family enterprise dynamics and governance structures.
Kathleen is a psychologist with deep experience blending her training in organizational and family systems with philanthropy governance.
Marcy’s experience as a clinical psychologist, executive coach, and team facilitator gives her a unique ability to recognize the impact of individual factors in a team environment.
Diane is a psychologist who consults in complex business and family environments to optimize the functioning of both individuals and the family business system.
Paula specializes in working with business families, helping them navigate interpersonal dynamics, manage conflicts, and strengthen relationships to ensure family harmony.
Helena specializes in leadership development, executive and team coaching, and organizational learning.