Here are some of my favourite books, articles & videos
The Network Effect: Unveiling The Power Of Networking In Family Offices. This article from Francois Botha is a very helpful listing of a number of FO networks with a description and link to each. There are lots of these around, and this can help you find the right one that meets your family’s needs.
The use of generation as rhetorical history in family business. A great way to look at the use of the term ‘generation’ as an expression of both continuity and change, through the lens of family and broader society. This is from FFI (Family Firm Institute) and is a summary of a longer journal article from Family Business Review.
Jay Hughes interview with Drucker School of Mgmt where he talks about gifts vs transfers, different types of gifts (particularly non-financial), how grandparents and grandchildren can connect, the purpose of trusts, preparing beneficiaries for ownership, stewardship and “the big reveal”, and plenty more
The Hidden Truth About Values by Matthew Wesley was originally written in 2013 and revised in 2023. When working with a family, often an initial focus is on articulating the family’s shared values. This article challenges some of the assumptions associated with that process.
The power of “mattering” – a first hand account by Adrian Murdoch – Chair of a seventh-gen family business – who implemented this concept in his own family. It’s based on the book
The mental model of a family enterprise is a bit like organisational culture – the way we do things around here. This excellent piece by Tom Rüsen and Monika Nadler on four archetypes of family mental models is a great way to stimulate thinking about the way a family was, is and wants to be.
