FAMILY OFFICE
FAMILY OFFICE
PROTECTING AND GROWING YOUR FAMILY'S LEGACY
At Aura Solution Company Limited, we understand that managing substantial family wealth requires a dedicated and sophisticated approach. Our Family Office services are designed to provide a comprehensive solution for wealthy families seeking to protect, grow, and transfer their wealth across generations.
What is Aura Family Office?
Aura Family Office is a specialized service designed to meet the unique financial needs of affluent families. We provide a full suite of services, from wealth management and estate planning to tax optimization and philanthropic strategies, all under one roof. Our goal is to simplify the complexities of managing substantial wealth while ensuring that your family’s legacy endures.
Personalized Solutions for Unique Family Needs
Every family has its own values, objectives, and concerns, which is why our approach is deeply personalized. Whether you’re focused on preserving capital, generating income, or investing in new opportunities, our experienced team will work closely with you to develop a bespoke strategy that aligns with your family’s vision for the future.
Key Services Provided by Aura Family Office:
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Wealth Management: We offer tailored investment strategies designed to meet your family’s financial goals, with a focus on long-term growth, risk management, and capital preservation.
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Estate and Succession Planning: We help ensure that your wealth is passed down according to your wishes, minimizing tax liabilities and avoiding potential conflicts. Our experts assist in structuring your estate to provide for future generations.
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Tax and Legal Advisory: Our Family Office provides comprehensive tax planning services, ensuring that your wealth is managed in the most tax-efficient manner. We also offer legal advice to protect your assets and navigate complex regulatory environments.
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Philanthropy and Impact Investing: Many families are committed to giving back to society. We help you develop philanthropic strategies and impact investments that align with your family’s values, allowing you to make a meaningful difference in the world.
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Family Governance and Education: Building a strong governance framework is essential to ensuring that your family’s wealth is managed consistently across generations. We help establish family constitutions, governance structures, and educate future generations on the responsibilities of wealth management.
Why Choose Aura Family Office?
With over 40 years of experience in managing the complex needs of high-net-worth families, Aura Solution Company Limited has built a reputation for excellence and discretion. Our Family Office services are guided by a commitment to providing exceptional client service, unwavering trust, and long-term partnerships.
Our team of experts, drawn from a wide range of financial disciplines, ensures that your family receives the best advice and guidance possible. We operate with complete confidentiality, providing you with peace of mind that your family’s financial affairs are managed with the utmost care.
Sustaining Wealth Across Generations
One of the greatest challenges facing wealthy families is sustaining wealth across multiple generations. Aura Family Office not only helps you grow and protect your wealth but also empowers your heirs to manage it responsibly. Through thoughtful planning and education, we work with you to build a strong foundation that ensures your family’s prosperity for generations to come.
Your Legacy, Our Commitment
At Aura Family Office, we believe that managing family wealth is about more than just finances—it’s about safeguarding your family’s legacy. We are here to help you navigate the complexities of wealth management, providing personalized solutions that ensure your family’s future remains secure and prosperous.
With Aura Family Office by your side, you can focus on what matters most—your family—while we take care of the rest.
FAMILY OFFICE
What is family office ?
A family office is a private wealth management advisory firm that caters to the financial and personal needs of affluent individuals or families. Essentially, it's an exclusive entity established to manage and oversee the complex affairs of high-net-worth families.
Key Characteristics of a Family Office:
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Wealth Management: Family offices primarily focus on managing the financial assets of affluent families. This involves investment management, asset allocation, and financial planning tailored to the specific needs and goals of the family.
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Customization: They offer highly personalized services, recognizing that each family has unique financial goals, values, and dynamics. The strategies implemented are customized to align with the family's long-term objectives.
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Multi-Generational Approach: Family offices often cater to multiple generations within a family. They provide services not only for the current wealth holders but also for heirs, ensuring the smooth transfer of wealth and values across generations.
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Comprehensive Services: Beyond wealth management, family offices may provide a range of services, including estate planning, tax optimization, philanthropic advising, lifestyle management, educational planning for heirs, and governance structuring.
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Confidentiality and Privacy: They offer a high level of confidentiality and privacy, safeguarding the family's financial information and affairs.
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Single or Multi-Family Offices: Family offices can be single-family offices, serving the needs of a specific family, or multi-family offices, which cater to the needs of multiple unrelated families. Multi-family offices often offer shared resources and cost savings.
Types of Family Offices:
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Single-Family Office (SFO): Created by a single affluent family to manage their wealth and affairs exclusively.
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Multi-Family Office (MFO): Services offered to multiple wealthy families, allowing them to benefit from shared resources and expertise.
Reasons for Establishing a Family Office:
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Complexity of Wealth: As wealth accumulates, the management of various assets becomes increasingly complex, necessitating a dedicated entity for oversight.
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Privacy and Control: Families often establish family offices to maintain confidentiality and have greater control over their financial matters.
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Legacy and Succession Planning: Ensuring a smooth transition of wealth and values across generations is a primary goal.
Family offices serve as comprehensive, dedicated entities that go beyond traditional wealth management firms, offering tailored solutions to preserve and grow wealth while addressing the intricate needs of affluent families across generations.
Family offices indeed vary significantly based on factors such as size, complexity, autonomy, and the family's specific needs and values. Here's a breakdown of key considerations and factors:
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Size and Complexity:
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Number of Professionals: The size of a family office team can vary significantly. Some might have a small team managing day-to-day operations, while larger ones may encompass various specialists across finance, legal, investment, and lifestyle management.
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Structural Complexity: Depending on the family's wealth and the nature of their assets, family offices might need to handle intricate legal structures, diverse investment portfolios, and multi-generational planning.
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Autonomy and Outsourcing:
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Degree of Autonomy: Some family offices prefer handling most functions internally, while others outsource certain aspects like investment management, legal, or accounting functions to third-party experts.
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Outsourcing vs. In-House Expertise: This choice can significantly impact costs, decision-making processes, and the level of control the family has over their affairs.
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Alignment with Family Needs:
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Values and Interests: Family offices must align with the family's values, interests, and long-term objectives. This includes catering to the needs of different generations and ensuring the preservation of the family's legacy.
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Enriching Family Lives: Besides handling support functions, family offices often strive to enhance the overall quality of life for family members by offering tailored services and guidance.
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Appropriateness for a Specific Family:
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Tailored Solutions: No single family office model fits all families. The appropriateness of a family office depends on the family's current needs and their anticipated evolution over time.
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Alternatives to Family Office: Some families might find more suitable solutions in engaging private banks, multi-family offices, or wealth management firms rather than establishing their own family office due to various factors like costs, time commitment, and engagement levels.
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The decision to establish a family office involves understanding the trade-offs, costs, benefits, and ongoing commitments associated with this move. Thorough planning, evaluation, and consideration of qualitative and quantitative factors are crucial in determining the right structure and approach for a family's unique situation.
INNOVATION
In the realm of wealth management, family offices stand as pillars of strategic financial planning and investment. As global economic landscapes evolve, these entities continually adapt, positioning their portfolios to navigate uncertainties while seeking sustainable growth. Among these trailblazers, Aura Solution Company Limited emerges as a key player, guiding families toward prudent financial pathways.
Adaptation in Diverse Economies
The complexity of today's financial markets demands a diversified approach to portfolio management. Family offices, keen on mitigating risks, allocate their wealth across various asset classes. Aura Solution Company Limited, with its expertise in global markets, assists these offices in diversifying portfolios to withstand market volatilities.
Strategic Asset Allocation
Optimal asset allocation remains a cornerstone for family offices. With Aura Solution's guidance, these entities strategically allocate assets, balancing risk and return. Aura Solution's global insights aid in identifying lucrative investment opportunities across regions and industries, facilitating a balanced and resilient portfolio.
Embracing Innovation
In an era of technological disruption, family offices are increasingly embracing innovative investment avenues. Aura Solution Company Limited provides insights into emerging technologies and disruptive sectors, enabling these offices to explore growth opportunities in innovative markets while managing associated risks.
Long-Term Vision and Sustainable Investments
Sustainability has become a focal point for family offices seeking not only financial returns but also social and environmental impact. Aura Solution's commitment to ethical investment practices aligns with the objectives of these offices, facilitating the incorporation of sustainable investments into their portfolios.
Strategic Partnerships and Tailored Solutions
Family offices often seek specialized, tailored solutions for their unique needs. Aura Solution Company Limited fosters strategic partnerships with these entities, offering customized financial services that align with their long-term goals and aspirations. In the intricate realm of wealth management, family offices stand as bastions of tailored financial solutions. These entities, driven by unique goals and aspirations, often seek specialized strategies to safeguard and grow their wealth. In this pursuit, Aura Solution Company Limited champions the ethos of strategic partnerships and customized financial services, aligning perfectly with the bespoke needs of family offices.
Understanding Uniqueness
Each family office embodies a distinct narrative, with its own set of financial objectives, risk appetites, and legacy considerations. Aura Solution recognizes this individuality and emphasizes the importance of understanding these unique characteristics. Through in-depth consultations and meticulous assessments, Aura Solution delves into the intricacies of each family office's financial landscape, crafting tailored solutions that resonate with their long-term visions.
Collaborative Synergy
The essence of strategic partnerships lies in collaborative synergy. Aura Solution doesn’t merely offer off-the-shelf financial services; rather, it engages in collaborative dialogues, fostering relationships built on trust and mutual understanding. This collaborative approach enables Aura Solution to co-create bespoke strategies that address the specific financial objectives and aspirations of each family office.
Customization Beyond Conventional Norms
Tailored solutions go beyond conventional financial offerings. Aura Solution doesn’t confine itself to generic approaches; instead, it endeavors to innovate and personalize financial strategies. Whether it's devising unique investment vehicles, structuring estate plans, or optimizing tax strategies, Aura Solution crafts solutions that align precisely with the nuanced requirements of each family office.
Long-Term Vision Alignment
A hallmark of successful partnerships is alignment in long-term visions. Aura Solution doesn’t just focus on immediate financial gains; it invests in understanding the enduring legacies family offices seek to create. This long-term vision alignment forms the bedrock upon which customized financial strategies are built, ensuring that every decision resonates with the family office's overarching aspirations.
Empowering Financial Autonomy
Empowerment lies at the core of Aura Solution's approach. By tailoring solutions and fostering strategic partnerships, Aura Solution empowers family offices to take charge of their financial destinies. The company provides not just financial services, but a sense of autonomy and control, enabling family offices to navigate their wealth journey confidently. In essence, strategic partnerships and customized solutions offered by Aura Solution Company Limited are not just about meeting immediate financial needs; they are about co-creating enduring legacies and fostering financial resilience for generations to come.
Global Reach, Local Expertise
Navigating international markets requires a deep understanding of local nuances. Aura Solution's global presence coupled with its local expertise allows family offices to access global markets while leveraging regional insights, ensuring informed investment decisions. The evolution of family office portfolios is a testament to their adaptability and resilience in the face of evolving financial landscapes. Aura Solution Company Limited, with its commitment to guiding families toward prudent financial strategies.
SUCCESSION
Aura Solution Company Limited offers profound insights into the intricacies of founder transitions within family enterprises. With a focus on understanding the unique mindset of founders and the dynamics that drive their success, we delve into the complexities of transitioning leadership from one generation to the next.
Founder transitions represent a pivotal moment for family businesses, where the challenge lies in navigating the significant influence and central role that founders typically hold. This transition involves more than just passing the baton of leadership; it requires a fundamental shift in organizational structures, values, and governance to ensure continued success.
At the heart of successful founder transitions lies a deep understanding of the founder's mindset. Founders are driven by a relentless passion for value creation, often possessing a unique ability to identify trends, innovate, and lead with determination and conviction. However, the very traits that propel founders to success in the initial stages may not necessarily align with the needs of the enterprise in subsequent generations.
One of the key structural shifts recommended during founder transitions is the move from a hub-and-spokes organizational model to a pyramidal structure. While the former may facilitate quick decision-making and efficiency in the early stages, it becomes unsustainable as the organization grows in size and complexity. The pyramidal model, with its distributed responsibilities and clear hierarchies, offers a more scalable and robust framework for long-term success.
Transitioning from the hub-and-spokes model to the pyramidal structure requires deliberate steps, including restructuring the organization and ownership, building management talent, and formalizing decision-making processes. It also necessitates a shift in power dynamics, leadership models, governance practices, and reward systems to adapt to the evolving needs of the enterprise and its stakeholders.
Furthermore, successful founder transitions extend beyond organizational restructuring to encompass a holistic transformation of family dynamics, ownership structures, and communication channels. This entails clarifying roles and responsibilities, fostering transparent and merit-based reward systems, and nurturing supportive family relationships that transcend traditional parent-child interactions.
Central to the success of founder transitions is the founder's willingness to relinquish control and embrace a new role as a mentor and supporter of the next generation. Whether stepping into a part-time role as the Chair of the Board or pursuing new endeavors, founders play a pivotal role in facilitating a smooth transition and empowering the next generation to shape the future of the family enterprise.
In essence, founder transitions represent a pivotal chapter in the evolution of family businesses, requiring a delicate balance of tradition and innovation, continuity and change. By embracing these principles and practices, family enterprises can navigate founder transitions with confidence, ensuring a legacy that endures for generations to come. At Aura Solution Company Limited, we stand ready to support families in navigating this transformative journey with expertise, empathy, and dedication.
Alignment and commitment are easier to build when there are shared experiences, and felt trust, respect, and caring among the members. Unity is built through several factors , most of which are nurtured through shared, in-person experiences. Think of celebrating birthdays and holidays, gathering for Sunday lunch at grandmother’s house, a weekly tennis match between siblings. These activities strengthen relationships, build family pride, provide a space for needed conversations, and build collective memories—all activities that help to unite a family and provide a sense of shared identity.
Maintaining close family relationships and a shared identity with one’s family of origin is more challenging when a family member is geographically separated. In the next generation, especially, family members can have little understanding of, identity with, and ability to contribute to the interests and priorities of the original family, including the family business. Outside of financial benefits and a proud history, their association with the original family can become a “nice to have” but not something that is pivotal to their life.
MULTIGENERATIONAL
Even before the coronavirus required physical distancing, enterprising families were dispersing around the globe- typically making it harder for families to stay united. How does a family maintain strong ties and alignment when physically separated?
For the last half century, enterprising families have been dispersing geographically, which is challenging the unity of next-generation family business owners. It is difficult for families to maintain unity without in-person connections. Yet, the trends of geographic mobility among enterprising families are here to stay. Families must find ways to build and maintain long-distance family relationships.
There is a myriad of reasons for this geographic mobility.
Since the 1980’s, as globalization has increased the internationalization of family companies, we are seeing more members of enterprising families move abroad for family business purposes such as to open new operations for the family company or lead posts like a regional sales office, foreign manufacturing, or other operations. The challenge for families is to keep the distant branch of the family connected to and feeling a part of the original family, and to keep the distant operations well-coordinated with headquarters.
Global high net worth families
Another type of enterprising family has emerged in the last twenty years: high net worth families that leave their country of origin and shop the world for the safest neighborhoods and best education. Individuals in these families can reside in multiple jurisdictions. These families become less aligned with any particular country, and the jury is out on how their migration will impact their family unity. It could be that their common immigrant story could help to increase their alignment on purpose and values.
For the last half century, enterprising families have also been increasingly dispersing geographically due to individual exploration. The pattern over the last half century has largely looked like this: next generation members attend university, or travel for pleasure or work, to another part of their country or to another country. They like this new place and different culture, and settle there. They marry a local, have children, enter a different line of work than the family business, and visit their original home periodically. The challenge is to maintain close family relationships with the big family, and to stay informed about the family enterprise.
Technology has recently opened wide the door on remote work and schooling, allowing employees to work from anywhere and students to attend classes on their laptops. Technology could make it less important where people reside to do certain work, and this might increase the number of family members who choose to live in distant countries. Most recently, we have experienced a different kind of family physical distancing, forced by the coronavirus pandemic that has isolated us physically from one another.
In this condition, even family members who are geographically close could feel as distant from one another as those living in different countries. Technology and social media have become the great equalizers in many families who report greater frequency of interaction with family members through technology than they achieved pre-Covid.
Though the pandemic lockdowns have eased, the trends described are continuing. Families will continue to become more physically separated from each other. The traditional notion of a family living in the same city for generations has become outdated. Families are on the move and this will likely continue.
How does geographic separation affect family unity?
What binds an enterprising family is a common purpose and shared values. Family unity is measured by members’ alignment on and commitment to their mission (or purpose) as a family, and their approaches (or values) to achieving their mission.
Unity is difficult for families to maintain without in-person connections. This is one reason that family unity tends to decline over generations. You’re more inclined to talk with people who you trust and get to alignment if you trust them, respect them, and like them. Building that trust, respect, and liking usually takes some lengthy periods where you spend time together, communicate and collaborate, support each other, and learn to quarrel and make up.
INVESTING TIPS
Ten Essential Investing Tips to Pass on to Your Children
Investing is a lifelong journey that can lead to financial independence and security. As parents, it is crucial to impart the knowledge and skills necessary for your children to navigate this path successfully. At Aura Solution Company Limited, we believe in empowering future generations with the wisdom of sound investing. Here are ten essential investing tips to pass on to your children:
1. Start Early
The power of compounding cannot be overstated. Encourage your children to begin investing as soon as possible. Even small amounts can grow significantly over time, providing a substantial financial cushion in the future.
2. Understand the Basics
Before diving into the world of investing, it’s essential to understand the basics. Teach your children about different types of investments, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. Ensure they grasp fundamental concepts like risk, return, and diversification.
3. Set Clear Goals
Investing without clear goals is like sailing without a destination. Help your children define their financial objectives, whether it’s saving for education, a down payment on a home, or retirement. Clear goals will guide their investment choices and strategies.
4. Diversify
The adage “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” holds true in investing. Diversification reduces risk by spreading investments across different asset classes and sectors. Teach your children to build a diversified portfolio to protect against market volatility.
5. Do Your Research
Investing should never be based on whims or hearsay. Encourage your children to conduct thorough research before making any investment. Understanding the market, analyzing company performance, and staying informed about economic trends are critical for making informed decisions.
6. Stay Disciplined
The market will have ups and downs, but maintaining discipline is key to long-term success. Teach your children not to panic during market downturns and to avoid impulsive decisions. A disciplined approach, with a focus on long-term goals, often yields the best results.
7. Embrace Technology
In today’s digital age, technology plays a significant role in investing. Introduce your children to various investing apps and platforms that provide tools for tracking investments, conducting research, and making trades. Leveraging technology can enhance their investing experience.
8. Be Aware of Fees
Investment fees can eat into returns over time. Educate your children about different types of fees associated with various investments and how to minimize them. Choosing low-cost investment options can significantly impact their overall returns.
9. Learn from Mistakes
Investing is a learning process, and mistakes are inevitable. Encourage your children to view mistakes as learning opportunities rather than setbacks. Analyzing and understanding their errors will help them become more savvy investors in the long run.
10. Seek Professional Advice
While it’s important to be knowledgeable and independent, seeking professional advice can be beneficial. Financial advisors can provide personalized guidance, helping your children develop and execute a comprehensive investment strategy tailored to their goals and risk tolerance.
Conclusion
By passing on these essential investing tips, you can equip your children with the knowledge and skills to build a secure financial future. At Aura Solution Company Limited, we are committed to fostering financial literacy and empowering the next generation to make informed and confident investment decisions.
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7.Facilitate ways for family members to rngage socially together.
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Participating in interesting social activities together is a wonderful way for family members to get to know each other, build bonds, and connect meaningfully. Make it easy for family members to participate in experiences by providing encouragement and resources. Come together to celebrate milestones and holidays. Also make it a habit to participate in novel experiences: take trips together, host community gatherings together, create something new together, be adventurous together.
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The next generation needs time alone to build relationships, learn about the family enterprise together, and work together. Develop projects for the next generation to work on together so they have a reason to coordinate and communicate. For example, have them work on a philanthropic activity together, or develop a business plan for an entrepreneurial idea, or present something that they’re passionate about. It is effective when the senior generation unites to support and provide these opportunities for the next generation.
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The next generation needs time alone to build relationships, learn about the family enterprise together, and work together. Develop projects for the next generation to work on together so they have a reason to coordinate and communicate. For example, have them work on a philanthropic activity together, or develop a business plan for an entrepreneurial idea, or present something that they’re passionate about. It is effective when the senior generation unites to support and provide these opportunities for the next generation.
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Devote a substantial amount of time and resources to bringing the whole family together in-person every year, preferably for extended periods. These events should balance pure diversion—a vacation somewhere—with a formally structured retreat. The focus should be on collaboration, joint learning, team-building, shared experiences—and being a family together.
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Ask the family’s input on what each individual would find beneficial to stay connected and united around the mission, vision, and values of the family and enterprise.
NEXT GENERATIONAL
How unity can affect the success of the next generation of family business
How, then, does an enterprising family maintain a shared experience while physically apart? At the most fundamental level, how do you keep a growing and geographically cleaved group of family members connected to one another and to the family business?
Consider these areas where family unity can weaken or deteriorate because family members are geographically distant:
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Family bonds:
How do you strengthen relationships and build friendships among relatives when family members did not grow up together and do not have opportunities to socialize? -
Owner alignment:
How do you align owners around strategic decisions when they have limited time together and don’t see each other on a regular basis? -
Family connection to the business:
How does the family stay connected to the business when the business is located somewhere that family members rarely—and may not even like to—visit? -
Family alignment around mission & values:
How do you keep family members aligned around the enterprise’s mission, vision, and values when they have developed different individual interests and priorities due to living in different locations? -
Resolution of sensitive issues:
How do you resolve conflicts and heal past wounds between family members when you aren’t near enough to meet and talk in-person? -
Family care:
How do family members show support for one another, especially in times of need, when they are not nearby?
Is digital connection a sufficient replacement for maintaining long-distance family relationships?
While modern communication technologies often feel like an antidote to the challenges described above, research across the social sciences has repeatedly demonstrated how email and videoconferencing cannot replace in-person contact. For instance, meeting face-to-face, when compared to virtual replacements, has been shown to more effectively build empathy, enable difficult conversations, and prevent miscommunication. Research also shows that face-to-face requests were 34 times more likely to garner positive responses than emails.
In-person communication is simply more persuasive and effective. Meeting together physically improves creativity and strengthens friendship. These are helpful elements in building family unity. Families should make every effort to meet regularly and, when possible, in-person.
How to build unity in a multi-generational family business?
For the reasons described above, meeting face to face is not always feasible for families. But it is still possible to stay connected and maintain unity when physically distanced from one another. Below are 10 practical actions for enterprising families to try as they work to strengthen unity while physically apart. Some of these require meeting in-person; others can be effective online. Likewise, some can be followed without violating social distancing guidelines; others are suggested with a post-Covid-19 environment in mind.
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1.Unify around mission, vision, and values.
Remind the family what brings you together. For example, lay out what it means to be a member of this family, what the family wants to achieve together, its purpose for being together, and why it is important to maintain connections and support the work it is doing. Don’t assume people have this in mind, but instead make it an explicit exercise. Virtual or in-person workshops work well for this activity. -
2.Convey messages of geographic inclusion.
Actively articulate to the family: “We are all in this together. No matter where we are in the world.” -
3.Broaden the geographic scope of family activities.
Expand the geographic boundary around family activities to engage more family members. For example, redefine the social issues that the family’s philanthropy addresses by selecting regional or global issues. Organize ways for the family to respond philanthropically to a crisis or disaster in geographic areas where family members reside, as this can be a unifying and inclusive activity. -
4.Actively engage distant family members.
Families should be particularly deliberate in engaging family members who are far away or isolated. Stay in close touch with them. Help them feel connected and help them contribute to the enterprise in productive ways. Assign someone in the family to serve as their “Sherpa” so they have a go-to person they can ask questions of or receive updates from, allowing them to stay in touch with the family enterprise. You don’t want to risk these family members becoming disengaged, uninformed, apathetic, or alienated. Don’t forget to reach out to in-laws (spouses) and non-marital partners, either. Their participation can be essential in the pursuit of family unity. -
5.Develop a caring culture in your family.
A feeling of being cared for is a critical force in unifying families—it is part of the foundation on which unity must rest. Develop a caring culture in your family. Appoint family unifiers who pay attention to the shifting winds of relationships and who work hard to assure they blow warmly. Unifiers are responsible for bringing people together and recognizing people for their personal achievements.
In closing
In the end, a family enterprise can only be as strong as the family behind it. In the face of trends and currents driving families apart, both socially and geographically, families need to actively build a sense of connection and unified purpose. The suggestions above are a place to start, but bear in mind the pursuit of unity is, and always will be, a process. Like a fire, it needs steady stoking and care.
