Workshops / Presentations

Learning Resources for Professional Advisors and Families

I speak to professional advisors as well as family business organizations and networks, on issues of family business, succession, wealth and philanthropy. Programs range from keynote talks, to half-day, full-day and longer workshops that help professionals and family members develop the skills to make a difference to themselves or their clients.

My experiential programs provide cutting edge concepts, vivid case studies from his personal experience, video examples, and high involvement activities that apply ideas directly to the challenges of participants. I draw on tools such as the Values Edge cards and program, and self-assessments that help families visualize and explore various dimensions of their enterprise.

My presentations have been applauded by leaders from scores of professional and wealth management organizations, including the Family Business Network, Family Office Forum, Young Presidents Organization, Inc. Magazine, Institute for Private Investors, Family Office Exchange, Family Firm Institute, and many family business associations, wealth management, family investment groups and private banks.

Learning Resources for Professional Advisors

A family wealth, financial or legal advisor is called upon to help the family deal with difficult and often emotional issues and psychological issues. While an effective advisor does not seek to become a counselor or therapist, he or she often seeks some basic skills in working with families, and in navigating these emotional dynamics.

The skills that an advisor would like to learn include:

How to engage family members in speaking about difficult issues
Getting family members to speak to each other
Assessing the dynamics and life stages of an enterprising family
Convening effective family meetings
Helping families define shared values, common goals and future vision
Coaching individual family members on developing business, financial and leadership skills to aid the family

My colleague Jim Grubman and I have created a web site with resources in these and other areas that are useful for advisors: wealthadvisertrainng.com/

I help family advisors—lawyers, accountants, financial planners, investment bankers—develop their ability to work with the personal issues of family communication, conflict and organization, by creating internal training programs in financial institutions, mentoring and coaching individual professionals, and working alongside them to address these issues with their clients. I have helped to create a certificate training program for family advisors, at Northwood University, which is offered in various places through the year.

Click here to learn about the next scheduled program in this series.

Workshops for Families

I have worked with many family business and family wealth networks to develop short programs, and intensive programs, to help family members develop the skills to be effective stewards and change agents in their families.

For the past year, I have been engaged in helping the Asia Region of the Family Business Network create a series of two-day learning programs for next generation family members. These seminars focus on developing the skill to become a family change leader, and how to develop family, human and social capital in your family over generations. These workshops are available to other family business groups.

I have also created workshops to help next generation family members create a personal development plan, helping families develop a long-term Family Roadmap, including vision and values statements, building a family council and family constitution, and developing a focus on social entrepreneurship in the family.

Please contact me for further information on this work.