When succession feels stuck, the problem may be the choice the family is trying to make. Succession is often compressed into two either/or categories: founder in charge or founder gone; successor waiting or successor fully responsible. Under that framing, uncertainty can quickly become a verdict: the founder will not let go, or the successor is not ready. Families usually have more choices than those labels suggest. They can ask: • What does each person actually want? • Which

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by Paul Edelman This article was originally published by familybusiness.org and is republished here with permission. Political differences can turn dangerous when family members begin dismissing one another’s business judgment based on political identity. Imagine a family business meeting about how to reduce energy costs. One sibling proposes investing in renewable energy, citing long-term savings and available tax incentives. Another dismisses the idea as “woke.” The first r