Dennis T. Jaffe, PhD
Resources for Family Enterprise Governance & Leadership Across Generations
Succeeding as a family business over generations is an incredible challenge few families manage well. Over a 40-year career, as professor, organizational consultant and family therapist I have helped families ENTERPRISES GROW AND THRIVE.
These complex challenges cannot be resolved quickly or easily. When they make the commitment to work together, I help work with BUSINESS FAMILIES to develop a roadmap towards the future, and develop the skills, agreements and practices that make their journey successful.
Family Consulting Education, Tools & Resources
ANNOUNCING
Newly Revised: The Values Edge 2.0 Toolkit
Defining and Acting on Personal and Family Values
The Values Edge 2.0 is a tool kit that enables advisors and coaches how to assist individuals and families to create a Personal Values Pyramid and Family Values Statement. These session help increase purpose, engagement, resilience, and alignment within and across generations.
Used for 30 years, by thousands of families worldwide, to appreciate differences and find common ground. Extends the values driven leadership model of Dr. Dennis Jaffe and Dr. Cynthia Scott.
This newly revised toolkit features an updated model of 8 “values clusters”, responding to over 10 years of user feedback. The new model gives a clearer view of your approach to your social world, and your style of acting. By sharing personal values arranged in colorful pyramids, people in a family or a work team can easily experience their similarities and differences to find alignment on shared values.
Family Business Column
Seasons of a Family Council
Embracing a cycle of renewal to keep family governance fresh. A family council is a wonderful step forward.
Open Article
Making Maximum Impact
Families increasingly want their wealth to make a positive mark on the world. Here’s how advisors can help.
Open Article
Turning Your Family's Evolution From a Threat to a Resource
Change is never easy for a family business, but it can be healthy.
Open Article
Whose Decision is it Anyway?
In a family business, it’s critical to know where the buck stops (and who has input before it gets there).
Open ArticleInsights about Family Resilience amid Global Crises
During this time of global crises, upheaval and opportunity for reflection on what is really important, families are rethinking what they want to be, and how to respond as individuals, families and enterprises. The world will be a new place and many of the things we assumed in the past will no longer be true. Below are a few short talks I want to share that draw from what I have learned about resilient family enterprise.
Importance of the Rising Generation in Family Enterprise
Becoming a Generative Family
Voices in Leadership with Amy Hart Clyne & Dennis Jaffe
COVID-19: Lessons From 100-Year-Old Family Businesses
African Family Firm Conference summarizing key points from my new book.
Talk at YPO Family Business Forum, June 2018 on resiliency in family business.
February 2019 talk to group at Mutual Trust in Melbourne Australia.
Featured Thinking
Wealth 3.0: The Future of Family Wealth Advising
More than four decades ago, the field of family wealth advising began to emerge as a challenge to the tradition of caring only about the money. We now stand at the threshold to the next major transformation, strengthening the focus on family while shedding the fears and flaws that invaded beliefs about the rich. Written by three renowned experts, Wealth 3.0: The Future of Family Wealth Advising outlines how the field arrived at this point and what will be needed to establish a positive vision of family wealth. Through relatable stories and insightful recommendations, Wealth 3.0 is a modern manifesto. It challenges family wealth advising to become the enduring, scalable, rigorous profession it was always destined to be.
Borrowed From Your Grandchildren
Borrowed From Your Grandchildren: The Evolution of 100-Year Family Enterprises presents the findings of a multiyear project in which researchers interviewed more than 100 families around the globe to understand the evolution of family enterprises that have succeeded for 100 years or more. I share stories of long-lasting families that point to elements of families’ experiences and learnings that allowed them to survive for the long term.
I have prepared a short guide to the key elements of the book: 8 Insights from Long-Lasting Global Enterprising Families.
Cross Cultures – Featured in New York Times
Each family that runs its own business also has its own culture, say two psychologists who work with wealthy families. And understanding those cultures — which these psychologists break down into three groups — can make it easier to resolve intergenerational or cross-cultural conflicts that arise as the business matures and expands.
The psychologists, James Grubman and Dennis T. Jaffe, present this book that offers a framework for understanding the three cultural approaches that they say prevail in family businesses.
Family Business Masterclass
with Dennis Jaffe, PhD and Dave Specht
The Family Business Masterclass with Dennis Jaffe, PhD and Dave Specht is designed for individuals and families that seek to proactively prepare for the unique challenges and opportunities with multi-generational family enterprises. This course is based on the learnings of more than 100 family enterprises from around the world that have surpassed 100 years of existence. You will come away with historical context for family enterprises and practical applications to increase the likelihood for continuity and thriving in your family enterprise.
A Toolkit of Insights From the 100-Year Research Study
Many readers of Borrowed From Your Grandchildren have asked for a short version that contains the key insights and action steps that a family can take. Here is a copy of this toolkit that you can use and share with families who want to continue their journey to become a generative, value-creating long-lasting family enterprise.
Finding Her Voice and Creating a Legacy
This book is based on a study of matriarchs—stories of women leaders of family enterprise from the first and later generations, who did not expect to become leaders.