{"id":2127,"date":"2026-09-09T08:05:33","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T06:05:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.iese.edu\/family-business\/?p=2127"},"modified":"2026-09-07T14:15:29","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T12:15:29","slug":"four-rooms-four-matrices-choosing-the-right-tools-for-change-in-family-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.iese.edu\/family-business\/2026\/four-rooms-four-matrices-choosing-the-right-tools-for-change-in-family-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Four rooms, four matrices: choosing the right tools for change in family business"},"content":{"rendered":"

Family businesses are rarely at a loss for tools<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

They can set up a board of directors, redesign incentives, bring in an outside CEO, draft a family protocol, convene a family council or call in a mediator.<\/p>\n

The real challenge lies elsewhere: how do you know which tool to use, where to use it and when?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is no one-size-fits-all answer\u2014it depends on the context<\/strong>. The same intervention can work wonders in one family and backfire in another. Even within the same company, a tool that\u2019s the right fit in one forum can be completely wrong in another.<\/p>\n

Over the next three weeks, we\u2019ll explore the key takeaways from my article Four Rooms, Four Matrices: A Framework for Cooperation and Change in Family Firms<\/a>, co-written with Prof. Pedro V\u00e1zquez of IAE Business School.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll start by examining where each issue should be addressed. Next, we\u2019ll analyze which type of tool works best depending on the degree of alignment. In the final installment, we\u2019ll combine both perspectives to build a practical framework for diagnosis and intervention.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s begin by defining the<\/strong> four rooms<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Are we trying to solve the problem in the wrong room?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Many of the challenges faced by family businesses don\u2019t stem from bad intentions. They arise because a legitimate problem is being tackled in the wrong place<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Consider these common scenarios:<\/p>\n