Our Family Business Constitution consulting service is designed to secure the future of both the family and the company. It covers clarifying the distribution of roles for the next generations after the founders, defining boundaries of authority, structuring ownership relations, and establishing decision-making mechanisms.
Throughout the process, we safeguard the values of both the company and the family, prevent intergenerational conflicts, and ensure the establishment of a constructive governance system.
Why Family Constitution Consulting?
For over 20 years, we've listened to the unspoken concerns of hundreds of family businesses and generations—founders and successors alike. And we’ve delivered tailored solutions.
Here’s what we often hear—and how we approach it:
Common Concerns & Our Solutions
| No. | Concern | Solution | Next Step |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | “The kids work in the company, but their roles aren't defined.” | Clarify responsibilities, authority, and roles across generations. | Let’s define it together. |
| 2 | “There’s no task division between siblings—constant conflict.” | Define family role allocation and establish long-term communication mechanisms. | Let’s talk. |
| 3 | “The ownership structure is unclear. We don’t know how shares will be transferred.” | Define ownership structure and share transfer principles. | We’ll create a roadmap. |
| 4 | “Non-family professionals can’t survive in the company.” | Establish boundaries and expectations between family and professional managers. | We’ll define a healthy framework. |
| 5 | “The founders want to step back, but there’s no clear succession plan.” | Design a structured succession and leadership transition plan. | Let’s prepare your custom plan. |
| 6 | “Family issues mix with business—meetings end in conflict.” | Separate family council from management meetings and define governance principles. | Let’s build it together. |
| 7 | “As spouses join the business, decision-making becomes blurry—trust erodes.” | Clarify family membership and involvement criteria. | Let’s draw safe boundaries together. |
| 8 | “Some family members contribute less but earn the same—it feels unfair.” | Separate and document systems for compensation and board fees. | Let’s build that balance. |
| 9 | “3rd generation’s education expenses cause tension.” | Define the education budget, criteria, and contribution levels. | We’ll make it clear. |
| 10 | “The company is growing, but no one knows who’s preparing for which role.” | Create career paths and succession plans. | Let’s shape the next generation’s role together. |
What We Do – Our Consulting Framework
We guide family businesses through a structured framework – from analyzing dynamics to defining values, designing the family constitution, and supporting its adoption.
1. Current State & Dynamics Analysis
We analyze the positions, roles, relationships, and expectations of family members both inside and outside the business:
- 1.1 Family Map & Role Distribution: Clarify roles and relationships transparently. Define the family-business-ownership triangle.
- 1.2 Corporate Structure & Governance Review: Assess structures like board of directors, general assembly, and family council. Review any existing draft constitutions.
2. Defining Shared Values & Principles
Together with family members, we articulate the family’s core values and the business vision:
- 2.1 Shared Future Workshops: Co-create shared goals and values. Blend founder experience with next-gen vision.
- 2.2 Common Ground for Rules & Principles: Co-decide on hiring, role distribution, shareholder rights, and governance practices.
3. Designing the Family Constitution
We prepare the family business constitution based on all analyses and consensus:
- 3.1 Governance Mechanisms & Structures: Propose structures like family council, advisory board, and family assembly. Clarify who decides what and where.
- 3.2 Shareholding & Partnership Policies: Define rules for share transfers, inheritance, buying/selling shares. Set criteria for next-gen entry into the company.
- 3.3 Leadership & Succession Planning: Formalize leadership transition and selection. Define crisis and conflict resolution principles.
4. Implementation & Internalization
We guide the adoption and integration of the constitution into daily practice:
- 4.1 Alignment Process & Stakeholder Engagement: Incorporate family feedback into the final document. Facilitate the alignment process.
- 4.2 Training, Mentoring & Monitoring Plan: Organize briefings for implementation. Monitor application and recommend updates when needed.
Deliverables – What You’ll Receive
By the end of the consulting project, you’ll have:
Family Map & Role Analysis Report
Shared Values & Principles Document
Family Constitution Draft
Shareholding & Governance Policies Document
Leadership Transition Plan & Implementation Roadmap
Our Consulting Techniques
How We Work
In-Depth Family Interviews & Emotion Mapping
We conduct one-on-one interviews to uncover emotions and unspoken conflicts, making hidden dynamics visible.
Co-Creation Workshops
We facilitate collaborative workshops where generations co-design shared rules and create ownership for agreed principles.
Family Governance Benchmarking
We inspire with real practices from other successful family businesses and integrate relevant approaches into your governance model.
Transition Planning & Facilitation
We tackle sensitive topics with expert facilitation, treating the constitution not just as a document but as a transformation journey.
