Stop Calling It Succession: How Language Is Sabotaging Family Enterprise Transitions

WEEKLY EDITION • June 3, 2026

How we frame family enterprise transitions matters. In this thought-provoking article, Jean Meeks-Koch argues that the language commonly used by advisors—particularly the term succession—may inadvertently create resistance among founders by signaling loss, replacement, and diminished relevance. Drawing on social constructionism, identity research, Appreciative Inquiry, and a multi-generational family enterprise case study, Meeks-Koch explores how reframing transitions as continuity and evolution can foster engagement, strengthen governance development, and create more successful outcomes for both founders and rising generations.