There’s a familiar tension in many family businesses—between the comfort of doing things “the way they’ve always been done” and the silent need for change. Unlike corporates, family firms are guided as much by legacy and emotion as they are by logic. This blend gives them soul—but it can also make growth complicated. That’s where advisory thinking becomes not just helpful, but essential.
Advisors, when integrated thoughtfully, bring something families can rarely give themselves: distance. They’re not weighed down by emotional ties, internal loyalties, or inherited habits. Instead, they bring questions that challenge assumptions and frameworks that open up possibilities. As Strike, Michel, and Kammerlander (2018) explain, advisors in family businesses serve as “trust-building navigators,” helping families balance tradition with transition.
Advisory input is particularly useful in moments of succession, expansion, or conflict. In these high-stakes situations, family members may struggle to separate business from personal relationships. Advisors—whether internal facilitators or external professionals—offer calm, confidential spaces for clarity. They’re not there to take control, but to guide decision-making without bias, enabling better governance and smoother generational transitions.
There’s no one-size-fits-all model. Some families benefit from independent directors who sit on boards and bring market knowledge. Others need family business consultants who can decode internal dynamics and mediate unresolved issues. Legal and financial advisors, too, play a quiet but crucial role in preparing succession plans and protecting assets.
The goal of the advisory model isn’t to replace family leadership—it’s to support it. Good advisors don’t offer ready-made answers. They ask better questions, encourage long-term thinking, and empower the family to steer its own course—with greater clarity and less conflict.
In the end, advisory strength is not about outside interference. It’s about inside growth, made possible by reflection, structure, and a bit of honest conversation.
references:
Strike, V.M., Michel, A. and Kammerlander, N., 2018. Unpacking the black box of family business advising: Collaborating with outside consultants. Family Business Review, 31(1), pp.80–124.