Your family's decision-making body that ensures fairness, wisdom, and long-term success
A Family Business Council is like a family parliament. It brings together representatives from all generations to make important decisions, resolve conflicts, and plan for the future. The council ensures that business decisions consider family values and long-term impact.
Ensures all family members have a voice and decisions are made fairly, not based on power or position.
Focuses on multi-generational success rather than short-term gains or individual interests.
Provides structured ways to discuss issues before they become major family or business problems.
Creates regular opportunities for elders to share wisdom and younger members to learn business skills.
Facilitates meetings, ensures fair participation, and represents the council's decisions. Often rotates annually to give different family members leadership experience.
Records meeting minutes, maintains decision logs, and ensures follow-up on action items. Keeps the family's institutional memory.
Provide wisdom, experience, and continuity. Ensure family values and traditions are preserved in business decisions.
Bring fresh ideas, technology skills, and future vision. Learn governance while contributing to family success.
Everyone participates according to their age and interest level. Even young children can observe and learn council procedures.
Professional advisors (legal, financial) can be invited for specific topics, but family makes the final decisions.
Regular meetings create rhythm and predictability. Start with monthly meetings, then adjust based on your family's needs.
Different types of decisions need different levels of approval. This prevents conflicts and ensures important decisions get proper consideration.
Day-to-day business operations, small purchases under R1,000
Approval: Business owner or manager
New business ventures, partnerships, significant expenses (R1,000-R50,000)
Approval: Simple majority (50% + 1)
Major investments, company restructuring, succession changes
Approval: 60% supermajority
Sale of family business, major asset sales, fundamental changes
Approval: 80% or higher
Key Principle: Important decisions get more scrutiny. Family unity matters more than speed.
Conflicts are normal in family businesses. The key is having fair processes to resolve them before they damage relationships or the business.
Bring the conflict to the council agenda. Don't let problems fester in private conversations.
Each person involved gets time to explain their viewpoint without interruption.
Ask "why" questions to understand underlying needs and concerns.
Brainstorm multiple solutions that address everyone's key interests.
Use council voting procedures. If needed, involve a neutral mediator.
Check that the solution works. Discuss what you learned for future conflicts.
When to Get External Help: If conflicts involve legal issues, significant financial disputes, or threaten family relationships, consider professional mediation or family business consultants.
Use these templates to make your council meetings more effective and professional.
Goal: Learn governance while feeling included
Goal: Develop leadership and decision-making skills
Goal: Lead while learning from elders
Goal: Transfer wisdom while staying engaged
Begin with a simple first meeting. Focus on building relationships and trust before tackling complex decisions.
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