The Princess is sad. What could be the problem?  She says the King does not include her in any
decision making, nor give her any true responsibility, nor is he raising her to govern the kingdom in
the future. She says the Prince Consort gets angry with her for no apparent reason. She says that her
family obligations limit her freedom and leave her no time to continue to grow, look for ways to
develop her skills or seek opportunities where she would be able to exert her leadership skills. She
says that all the problems fall on her.

Poor Princess. The world is so unjust!  (Read more from Carmen Lence and add comments.)

  

When I became interested in the family business literature it was very striking to find that some addiction experts, especially experts in drugs and alcohol, had observed that the vast majority of addicts, despite their boasts of maturity and Independence, had actually depended very heavily on their family of origin. They lived with their parents, and were financially dependent on them, even when they were old enough to be fully emancipated.

This dependence on one's parents prevents the parents from facing the challenges and learning to live with an "empty nest" (a home without children). An adult son or daughter living at home also prevents the parents from leaving their role as caregivers or protectors of their children. Furthermore, when the parents do not leave their caring role, they create greater dependence in their children, thus generating a circular relationship, or what is commonly called a "vicious cycle".  (Read more from Javier Macias and add comments.)

   

I was recently in New York to attend the annual meeting of the Family Business Network NxG (Next Generation Program), which includes family businesses from around the world.

After a long conversation with a next generation member of a family business, he said: "I have to demonstrate my value to my father and my family.  To employees of the company, I have to demonstrate that I am more than just the owner's son, I'm willing to be one of them, and to work as hard as anyone else so they respect me. For myself, I need to find my own individuality, my authenticity, and I need to not disappoint the expectations which my family has for me. "

This is a level of pressure which is not easy to assume when one is seen as "privileged" in their own environment, and it is a difficult reality to share with others.  (Read more from Borja Raventos and add comments.)

 

Creating a Family Office is not an obvious process. It requires deep thought by the family and the support and collaboration of consultants specializing in this type of process.

 

The prior reflection which every business family should go through regarding the need for a family office must be based on the belief that a family office improves the sustainability of family assets and resolutely working on,

* The Alignment of the Family
* Family Trust
* Increased Professionalization
* Improved family relationships

 

Thus creating a family office may be warranted for three main reasons,

1. Communication and Cohesion, 80% of leaders are of the opinion that the lack of family communication and internal differences are the main reasons why companies do not continue over multiple generations.

2. Education and values, a training class is:
* A guarantee for strengthening governance of a family business in the future.
* An essential pillar for the full personal development of its members

3. Advisory, a services and investment platform for its members to share creates higher quality service at lower cost by leveraging synergies and economies of scale. 

(Read more from Inigo Susaeta and add comments.)

Alberto, 30 years old, is the only son from the first marriage of Manuel Delgado, one of the two successors of Ricardo Delgado, the founder of the family business.

  

We'd like to hear what you think of the newsletter and the Wiki.  Let us know the good, the not so good, and everything in between.  Click here to help us do our job better!