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Family connection

Communicating for shareholder value and family harmony

Shared experiences create strong family bonds, but they can also cause rifts or complicate family relationships. Communication is essential, especially for families who live and work together. At Deloitte Private, our teams are trained to balance the needs and objectives of the family, and promote healthy communication.

Communication enables family members to express their needs, wants, and concerns to each other, and limit conflict. However, underlying interests, emotions, frustrations, irritations, worries and concerns can affect the ability to communicate effectively, which can have a negative impact on decision making and how the family business is managed.

At Deloitte Private, we are trained to counsel families in their process of communication and growth toward sustainable shareholdership and family harmony. Our teams include communication experts and psychologists, as well as lawyers and tax experts who have developed expertise and a higher skill set of communication and facilitation.

We facilitate labs, workshops, meetings, family councils, helping the family develop empathic communication and find their common set of values, rules of engagement, roles, governance principles, etc. We help families create their ‘Family Compass’ to guide them through the unpredictable events of the future.

Grammar of the Wealthy Family

Three experts from our family & business dynamics team – Alain-Laurent Verbeke, Martin C Euwema and Katalien Bollen – have written the book ‘Grammar of the Wealthy Family’ to help families communicate effectively about their shared future. The book guides families towards a model of sustainable shareholdership which takes into account the wishes of all family members.

The Grammar of a Wealthy Family provides insights into how to grow as a family through healthy communication and coping constructively with problems and conflicts. It explores:

  • A new and sustainable model for estate planning
  • The importance of taking into account the values of all family members in establishing a shared vision, mission and strategy
  • The role of communication and conflict resolution skills in establishing a shared and enduring family vision
  • The way the private sphere, business assets, and investment assets interact
  • How estate and family management can evolve toward a holistic, advisory approach

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Request further information on obtaining a copy of the Grammar of the Wealthy Family

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