Conflict is an inherent part of human interaction, arising whenever there is a divergence of opinion or interest on a concrete issue. In the context of family businesses, the most successful organizations anticipate and manage conflict before it arises. These companies recognize conflict as a natural occurrence: if it hasn’t cropped up yet, it’s only […]
Leaving a legacy: the importance of instilling shared values
The ultimate goal of any family business is to create a legacy for future generation. To achieve this, family firms strive to ensure that the wealth they generate (or inherit) grows on a solid financial foundation for the benefit of their descendants. But there’s more to it than that. Even more important is their ability […]
Strategic alliances in family firms: 7 financial recommendations
The Family Business Reflection Forum co-organized by IESE’s Chair of Family-Owned Business and the Instituto de Empresa Familiar continues to give us plenty to talk about. In the first of this three-part series, Prof. Marta Elvira highlighted the core benefits of strategic alliances as engines for growth, which Prof. África Ariño brought to life in […]
The role of an external director
In my last article published in October 2023, I raised the issue of external directors by saying they could either be independent or not. It’s not a question of how much they’re paid, as some people think: it’s far more complex and multidimensional than that. Let’s start by clarifying these two concepts. External versus independent […]
8 pillars of a professional board of directors
Robust corporate governance systems in family firms shouldn’t be any different than those in well-managed non-family firms – at least in theory. In practice, it’s another story. Boards of directors in family businesses have adjacent psychological and psychosocial dimensions, and disregarding these dynamics can easily lead to tensions among board members. During my tenure as […]
Other things that tend to happen in family firms
In my previous post, I highlighted two of the most common mistakes in family businesses. To avoid going on about mistakes, I’ve decided to entitle this post “Other things that often happen in family firms.” To be sure, lots of good things happen in family firms. My colleague, teacher and friend, Prof. Miguel Ángel Gallo, […]
Two of the most common mistakes made by family-owned firms
In my last post, I offered five strategies that family firms should follow if they have hopes of long-term survival. Today, the focus is on two of their most common mistakes, which can also make life much more complicated for their top leaders. (1) Bringing family members into the fold It’s not unusual for founders […]
5 essential rules for overcoming challenges in family firms
As I explored in a recent article published in the Harvard Deusto Business Review, prosperous family businesses owe their success to adhering to the following five essential rules: 1 – Treat the business as a business and the family as a family 2 – Foresee changes to avoid surprises 3 – Implement structures for nearly […]
Succession, the monumental question
The topic of succession has a long history and has never been limited to the exclusive domain of family business. Putting it into perspective can give us a deeper understanding of its importance in all organizations, both family- and non-family-owned. After writing this post, I thought it was perhaps more suited to an academic readership, […]
Family business and globalization
My colleague Prof. Marta Elvira asked me if I could write about family business and globalization. I do so with pleasure but with the fear that some readers might find my conclusions disappointing. In this post, I won’t refer to large corporations but to medium-sized companies, defined by the European Union as firms with revenues […]
