Articles and Resources

We are happy to provide this extensive list of free resources and articles to the public. Click on any title to download the PDF.

Featured Articles

• Love, Power, Money and Sibling Rivalry

  Explores two forms of sibling rivalry in family businesses. Understanding these dynamics is essential for siblings who share ownership or leadership of the family enterprise. Published in Tharawat Magazine.

• Seven Competencies for Next-Gen Leaders

  From Wealth of Wisdom - Critical competencies that next generation family business leaders need to develop for successful transitions.

• Global Best Practices (FBN FoX)

  Best practices for family businesses from the Family Business Network.

Transforming Communication

• Fostering Healthy Communications

  Tools and techniques for fostering open, constructive communication among family members in business.

• The Family Council

  How to establish and run a family council that facilitates communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution.

• The Family Forum

  Creating effective family forums for communication and governance.

• Spouses and the Family Council

  The role of spouses in family business governance structures.

• The Board and the Family Council

  Understanding the relationship between the board of directors and family council.

Enhancing Leadership

• Succession Planning

  A framework for developing and implementing a succession plan that ensures business continuity and family harmony.

• Successful Habits of Successors

  Strategies for preparing successors, including education, mentorship, and gradual responsibility transfer.

• Successful Habits of Successors - Check Sheet

  A practical checklist for successor development.

• The Marshmallow Effect - Joining Your Family Business

  Guidance for next generation members considering joining the family enterprise.

• Mentoring: The Seven Habits

  Key habits for effective mentoring in family businesses.

• Non-Family Management Succession

  Planning for management succession when family members are not ready or available.

• The Non-Family Executive

  How to attract, retain, and work effectively with non-family professional managers.

• The Prime Minister

  The role of key non-family executives in family business leadership.

Creating Strategies

• Working On the Business

  How to develop a strategic approach that balances business objectives with family values.

• Designing Legacies

  Creating a lasting legacy for your family business.

• Designing Family Business Continuity

  Steps for ensuring long-term business continuity across generations.

• The Perfect Storm

  Navigating crisis situations in family businesses.

• Transition Planning - The Good News in a Bad Economy

  Opportunities for transition planning during economic downturns.

• The Amazing Life

  Balancing business success with personal fulfillment.

Building Responsible Ownership

• The Role of the Owner

  Understanding the responsibilities and privileges of ownership in family businesses.

• The Voting Control Dilemma

  Navigating voting rights and control issues in family enterprises.

• Outside Boards

  Best practices for establishing and utilizing advisory boards in family-owned businesses.

• Great Family Businesses

  What distinguishes the most successful family enterprises.

Sibling Partnerships

• Sibling Rivalry

  How to address competitive dynamics between siblings in a way that strengthens rather than undermines the business.

• Business Partners Tool

  A tool for building effective partnerships among family business co-owners.

• The Bermuda Triangle

  Navigating complex family dynamics in business partnerships.

Wealth & Estate Planning

• Holistic Estate Planning

  Integrating business succession with personal estate planning goals.

• Fair and Equitable

  Navigating the challenge of equitable distribution when some children work in the business and others don't.

• Fair Pay

  Establishing fair compensation practices for family members.

• Affluenza - Dealing with Family Wealth

  How to raise financially responsible next-generation family members who will steward wealth wisely.

• Family Implications of Trusts

  Understanding how trust structures impact family dynamics.

• Prenuptial Agreements

  Protecting business assets through prenuptial agreements - excerpt from Love, Power and Money.

• Family Wealth Assessments

  Tools for assessing family readiness to manage wealth across generations.

Family Employment

• Employing Family Members

  Creating clear guidelines for family member employment in the business.

• The Application

  Application and entry processes for family members joining the business.

• The Deal Sheet

  Defining expectations and agreements for family employees.

Tools & Assessments

• Family Business Tool

  A comprehensive tool for evaluating family business health.

• Family Business MRI

  A diagnostic tool for family business assessment.

• Assessment Tool Research Paper

  Research behind family business assessment methodologies.

• Family Business Assessment Index (FBAI)

  Index for measuring family business effectiveness.

• 10 Examples - Practice Makes Perfect

  Case examples for family business learning.

• Taking Risks

  Managing risk in family business decision-making.

Additional Resources

• The Dream

  Articulating and pursuing the family business vision.

• Forums for Family Business

  Information about peer advisory groups for family business leaders.

• Family Business Statistics

  Key statistics about family businesses.

• McKinsey Summary - Inside the Family Business

  Key insights from McKinsey research on family businesses.

• CFO Best Practices

  Best practices for financial leadership in family businesses.