When it comes to advisors, I have two simple rules:
- Get good advisors
- Listen to them
Family advisors need additional skills because they must work with the various members or governance structures of a family, and key people & structures may change with time. They need to know about communication, in order to help the family members themselves communicate well.
They need to understand family dynamics, and get to know the ins and outs of the families they deal with. They may need to act as facilitators of family discussions and formal meetings, to help the family develop the ability to have open discussions and make collective decisions. To do this effectively, they need to be independent, and have the ability to say things that the family needs to hear (even though they may be difficult or confronting).
They, or their firms, need to be able to talk to multiple generations within the family, so as to maintain a parallel transition – as generational control passes within the family, the advisor relationships may also change. As part of that transition, it may be helpful to bring younger family members into advisor discussions.
In addition, they may want to be across emerging trends like impact investment, cybersecurity, and online reputation management.
A family advisor is so much more than a wealth manager, or the family lawyer or accountant. It can be rare to find all the skills needed in a single individual.
Consider This: Do you have an independent family advisor? Are you able to discuss anything the family needs with that person? Does that person have a relationship with multiple family members or across multiple generations? When did you last do an audit of your advisor relationships to ensure they are meeting the family’s needs now and in the future?
Original articles:
- The Top 5 New-Generation Advisors Every Family Office Needs
- RIA consolidation could put $2.4 trillion in play over next decade
- Advisers urged to include clients’ families in meetings
- The Ultra-Wealthy Prefer Multi-Family Offices To Wealth Managers
- Family Wealth Advisors Need Skills In Family Dynamics
Here is more on reading on family office services.
If you are a business owner, lawyer or accountant to them, my advisory services may be the perfect match to navigate the tough decisions in strategizing #intergenerational relationships.
There are a number of use cases where I have worked with families that may be adjacent to your practice. Let me help you:
· help family develop shared vision, charter etc
· mediate family conflict management
· mentor rising generation
· coach family through the emotional side of business sale – before, during, after
· help family businesses with ‘soft’ aspects of succession planning
