The answer to these questions can prove powerful tools in identifying and understanding both individual family members and the family's collective values, perspectives, attitudes, motivations, relationships, and patterns. The second is what can be done to make current relationships, whether positive or conflicted, more meaningful and the third, what values and behaviors will help the next generation construct more positive future interpersonal relationships?
![genogram rules genogram rules](https://www.aplustopper.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Genogram-Essay.png)
The first is how prior experiences shape collective behavior and interactions. Carlock, authors of "Family Business on the Couch: A Psychological Perspective," a well-crafted genogram enables family offices to address three primary questions. In other cases, each person's relationship to the family fortune and how this influences attitudes and decisions within the organization may be explored.Īccording to the paper, Developing a Family Business Genogram by Manfred F. Issues such as sibling or branch rivalry, gender stereotypes (where sons are automatically first in line for succession), or even enmeshed relationships where family members cannot achieve autonomy within their roles are examples of contentious topics that may be investigated. They can be instrumental in identifying repetitive patterns that influence or affect the family and business. Genograms can be broad or targeted with different themes depending on the relationships or behavioral patterns the family and their advisors wish to investigate. This helps everyone involved better understand these patterns as well as the layers, relationships, diversity of perspectives, and health of the family across generations. This gives the family an opportunity to explore emotional connections and potential barriers linked to the business.Ĭonstructing a genogram facilitates communication and discussion about the family's biological and emotional past. Lescs recently published a thesis around the idea of "Genogram 2.0", where the family business is transformed into another family member.
![genogram rules genogram rules](https://genopro.com/articles/how-to-create-a-genogram/Symbols-for-emotional-relationships.jpg)
Despite their exceptional business acumen and talent, many business families cannot objectively identify their family's negative patterns that lead to behaviors that ultimately have a detrimental effect on relationships and the business.Īccording to Julien Lescs, family office advisor and co-founder of Kanope Impact, 'By bringing in family governance specialists, family businesses can identify the emotional ownership barriers that deter the next generation from continuing the legacy'. Many of the family offices' challenges arise within the family system and become repetitive patterns that pass down through the generations.