Clarify Directional Uncertainty

Everyone in the family system “sees a different part of the elephant.”

It’s challenging to align everyone regarding, “Why we are here?”, “What we are talking about?” and “How will we harmoniously work together?”.  It can become particularly challenging when it comes to family relationships and advisors trying to organize around a mix of operating businesses, investment partnerships, trusts, foundations and family offices.

Each stakeholder brings with them a unique set of ideas for the whole; often based on what can be seen from their perspective—their vantage point of the elephant, if you will.

Key to the success of our iterative facilitation process is creating an environment that fosters safety and open interaction. Working with a family systems lens, we will:

• Provide competent, non-judgmental facilitation

• Share our thinking without ego

• Seek to understand by engaging all stakeholders

• Gain—and share—insight from multiple perspectives

• Organize by leading and valuing process

• Design a “What is Map”—a visualization of opportunities and vulnerabilities facing the entire family system

• Frame actionable and flexible solution paths

• Strive to build consensus and achieve buy-in