There’s a difference between “need” and “would benefit from” consulting. Most families don’t realize they need consulting until it is almost too late. Early interventions are far more successful than last-ditch efforts, and the closer your family is to needing a miracle cure, the less likely it is to work. Typical warning signs include, on the family side, people not following through with commitments, open conflict and hostility, criticism at the exclusion of appreciation, and revisiting decisions long after they are made. On the business front, decreasing return on equity or EBIT return on assets, lengthening payables, inventory increasing at a rate inconsistent with sales, reduced R&D or other investments, and increases in employee turnover.

It is natural to feel that your situation is different from everyone else’s. But what you are facing is very rarely something we haven’t seen before - and very likely, we’ve worked with many business families that have faced bigger struggles than you are facing now. The bigger question is whether we can help. At the very least we can help you see the options you have and what the likely consequences of each option are. Generally, we can help move the family toward greater unity and the business toward better performance. In a few cases, where that’s not a realistic option, we can help the family disentangle in ways that maximize the chances of family unity in the future.

Our approach prioritizes relationships and capability before structure; building family capacity and cohesion before getting technical. We understand that transactional solutions won’t resolve family and business emotional and historic conflicts that become interwoven into the family’s legal and reporting structures. We focus on the process that leads to generative growth, unity and shared purpose. We also understand business constraints and balance the approach to family and ownership with business strategy and actions that ease financial and business limitations.

There are many avenues to starting a process that builds family and business strength. In fact, you already have started by investigating options. Of course, having a committed family will speed the process, and while a troubled situation can often be stabilized quickly, this can be a long process—The outcomes are worth it! If the family is not ready, you can gain perspective and ideas for aligning the family through a coaching process. If a core group can get behind this work, it too can be helped to bring about family alignment, commitment, and motivation to start. It’s important to be calm and persistent while not pushing people faster than they are ready to go.

A board assessment that covers all aspects of board composition and functioning would give the most value for the investment. However, a simple series of coaching sessions could give you a jump-start. Think about the agenda-setting process, does the board actively participate? Think of how the meetings are run, do all board members talk for the same amount of time? Think of board culture, do people speak candidly, without defensiveness or hesitancy? Think about the board’s members, is the mix right, do they come prepared, do they communicate between meetings, and do they uphold the family’s values? These are some of the questions answered by formal and informal board assessments.

There’re several worthwhile approaches to take, but no one best practice to revitalize a family council. Most often we see that the family council has either lost enthusiasm or its members or become a dumping ground for unhealthy family emotional venting. If it’s the former, understanding the root of apathy is key. Is it because people have lost a sense of voice? Do they feel the council is not being respected or taken seriously? Have the dynamics broken down or are decisions really being made in advance of meetings? If it’s become a venue for negative emotions the council needs to reorient and that can be difficult work that requires identifying and adhering to strong boundaries. While this can be a self-driven process, an assessment that adds new perspectives and builds alignment through the process is highly recommended.

No. Family Therapy addresses root causes and conditions family system breakdowns. We take a coaching and consultative approach, that respects the therapeutic model, and may acknowledge root causes as a way to address barriers that stand in the way of achieving the family’s goals. But, like family therapy, through this process the family often learns new ways of communicating and interacting with one another that relieves family stress and enables family members to be supportive advocates of one another and the business.

Family capacity is how we describe a family’s skills, ability, and orientation needed to be good owners and good family members. Family capacity can be seen in family alignment on shared values and their ease in decision-making as well as their ability to understand business strategy and financial information at a deep level. Building family capacity aids in both family and business sustainability.