Family-owned companies may dominate the worldwide business landscape, yet surprisingly few are successfully passed down from one generation to the next, and fewer still reach the third generation intact.
“With a wealth of examples from companies in the United States, Europe, and Latin America, Succeeding Generations provides a thoughtful and comprehensive look at the sensitive dynamics of leadership succession in family businesses.”
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I tried to watch the award-winning HBO series on numerous occasions, stopping repeatedly, not because it wasn’t brilliant, but because it was brutal. The cynicism, humiliation, and constant power games felt too extreme. For anyone working closely with multi-generational family enterprises, this world of perpetual chaos and zero-sum power felt not only far removed from our reality, but was also a painful mirror reflecting everything that causes a family enterprise to fail.
In this edition, you’ll find a fresh perspective on the “three circles” from Nate Hamilton, who introduces a powerful metaphor of the Enterprising Family Tree, visualizing how Family, Ownership and Business systems are all inextricably linked.
We also feature the latest insights from Fernanda Jaramillo and Gustavo Carvajal who examine the critical role of the Board Chair in a family enterprise.
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.
In light of the many crises that haunt the daily news cycle, there is one segment of the corporate landscape that seems to be weathering the storm better than most: family businesses.
“A thorough and powerful work, Generations of Giving: Leadership and Continuity in Family Foundations demands.
Tools for the next generation to approach the retirement conversation tactfully with patience, strategy and smarts.
