Case study
Generational change: developing a shared vision of the future
How a business family brought together succession, strategic options and new roles.
Read moreUnresolved succession
A transition in leadership or ownership is coming up. Expectations, responsibilities and the future roles of those involved are not yet clear enough.
Does this sound familiar?
Transitions in leadership, ownership or key positions have not been clarified well enough, putting continuity, trust and control at risk.
Common questions from practice
Which transitions are coming up: leadership, ownership or both?
What do the outgoing generation, successors and other stakeholders expect?
Which decisions and skills need to be settled before the handover?
How can the family, owners and management shape a transition with clear roles and reliable decisions?
In its brand positioning, transformis describes succession as a task that connects the logic of the family with the logic of the business. That includes roles, responsibilities and ownership structures. A shared understanding of these levels helps define the consulting brief and the conversations that need to take place.
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„We see succession and generational change not as a one-off handover of ownership or management responsibility, but as a profound process of transformation.“
Robert A. Sedlák
Founder and CEO transformis Consulting SE | Guest Professor ECNU Shanghai | Certified business mediator (German Mediation Act) | Head of the family business competence team
Lasting impact in your company
- Prepare the leadership transition and development
The transition also depends on requirements for roles, suitability and future collaboration. People development and leadership development offer suitable starting points. The initial call clarifies who needs to be involved and which other specialist perspectives the engagement requires.
- Develop a shared picture of the future
Succession decisions need a view of how the company will develop. The family’s expectations and the needs of the business are therefore considered together. Strategic options help define the new leadership role and what it requires.
- Shape the transition phase deliberately
Mandates and decision-making rights are clarified, as is the collaboration between the outgoing and incoming generation. Communication and ongoing reflection help new roles take effect. Legal and tax questions are coordinated with the relevant specialists.
- Untangle the levels of the handover
In a generational change, we separate four levels: family, ownership, leadership and corporate strategy. An open succession becomes manageable once those involved state which decision belongs to which level. A family strategy can set out shared goals, values and rules for roles. At the same time, the incoming leadership needs a real mandate and the outgoing generation a clear future role.
A documented case shows how these tasks fit together in practice, but it offers no standard timeline or guarantee of success. The next step may be clarification within the family, a description of the leadership requirements or a joint handover plan. Legal and tax questions are coordinated with the relevant specialists; they do not replace agreement on expectations and responsibility.
Handover risks become security for the future. Unclear roles become shared responsibility. Succession becomes lasting renewal.
Explore the topic further
Explore examples of our work and ideas for your own transformation.
Fachartikel
Family business succession: roles and handover
Succession in a family business touches family, ownership and management at once. How to look at all three together and plan the transition with foresight.
Read more
Orientation
First 100 days: taking on a new leadership role
Your first 100 days as a new leader: how to consciously clarify your mandate, expectations and working relationships when leadership changes hands.
Read more
Frequently asked questions
Does the successor need to be chosen before succession planning starts?
No. Criteria, roles and expectations can be clarified first. In a generational change, we separate family, ownership, leadership and corporate strategy; an open succession becomes manageable once those involved state which decision belongs to which level. Strategic options help define the new leadership role and what it requires.
What does succession involve besides the leadership role?
Family goals, ownership questions and the future role of the outgoing generation. A family strategy can set out shared goals, values and rules for roles. At the same time, the incoming leadership needs a real mandate. Succession decisions also need a view of how the company will develop, so the family’s expectations and the needs of the business are considered together.
Who decides on the successor’s mandate?
This is decided by the owners and leadership of the company concerned. Mandates and decision-making rights are defined, as is the collaboration between the outgoing and incoming generation. Communication and ongoing reflection help new roles take effect. The initial call clarifies who needs to be involved and which other specialist perspectives the engagement requires.
Does succession consulting replace legal and tax planning?
No. Legal and tax questions are coordinated with the relevant specialists, but they do not replace agreement on expectations and responsibility. As transformis sees it, succession is not a one-off handover of ownership or management responsibility, but a transformation process that affects strategy, ownership structure, leadership system, culture and identity all at once.
What does the documented case study show?
The project report on a generational change at an automotive retail group documents a picture of the future with prioritised options, a Strategy Map and strategic initiatives; newly defined leadership roles; a newly established supervisory board; and the handover of management two years after the start. The case offers no standard timeline or guarantee of success for other companies.
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Robert A. Sedlák
Founder and CEO transformis Consulting SE | Guest Professor ECNU Shanghai | Certified business mediator (German Mediation Act) | Head of the family business competence team
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Let’s talk about your situation and what you want to develop in your organisation.
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