Frozen Narratives: Why Old Feelings Keep Showing Up
Family enterprise conflicts are not always about the issue at hand. Rebecca Meyer and Carolyn Greenspon introduce the concept of "frozen narratives" and explore how unresolved interpretations of the past can shape governance, relationships, and decision-making for years to come.
A Reflection on Family Trusts as the Longest-Lived Family Members
Family trusts are typically viewed as legal and financial structures, but what if they are also members of the family system?
Stop Calling It Succession: How Language Is Sabotaging Family Enterprise Transitions
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.
Reflection on Ghosts in a Family System
In this week’s edition of FFI Practitioner, Jay Hughes, Mary Duke, and Stacy Allred offer the second in their 2026 series of Reflections on Family Flourishing, a companion to their upcoming new book.
Integrating Structural Family Therapy into Family Enterprise Advising
Family enterprise advisors are often trained through the lens of Bowen Family Systems Theory, which remains one of the most influential frameworks in the field.
Philanthropy as a Strategic Tool for Family Business Succession: A discussion with Joshua E. Chadajo, CEO, JEC Philanthropy
Succession in family enterprises is rarely just a legal or financial event—it is a test of leadership readiness, legitimacy, and continuity. Increasingly, research suggests that philanthropy can play a meaningful role in meeting these challenges.
How to Manage Pace of Change So It Doesn’t Manage You
Change initiatives in enterprising families rarely fail because of bad ideas or lack of commitment.
Family Charters: Strengthening Bonds and Building Legacy
Thank you to this week’s contributor, Sally Woodford, for her article exploring the many ways a family charter can help provide family enterprise clients with a foundation to strengthen family unity and sustain multigenerational success.
The Two Pillars of Governance in Family Enterprises: A straightforward understanding of complex systems
This week’s edition kicks off a series of articles by presenters at the virtual 2020 FFI Global Conference, October 26-28.
A Few Thoughts on Family Constitutions: An Indian perspective
This week, FFI Practitioner is pleased to share an article by Ashvini Chopra in which he discusses family constitutions from an Indian perspective.