Mentoring and Developing Successors
Core Curricula

This seminar examines the development of successors as a continuous process which begins ideally when children are young and just learning about the business and continues even after the young adult has taken charge of the business. Drawing on the extensive literature on adult development, we describe the best practices family leaders can follow in responding to the developmental needs of young successors at every stage of their careers. The framework used is the stage model of family development described in “Generation to Generation: Life Cycles of the Family Business.”

The topic is complex and best explored in a seminar format with several family members in attendance over 2 to 3 days. However, a descriptive version can be offered in a forum setting. If time permits, a program on this topic can include:

	An overview of the developmental model and the continuity tasks at each stage;
	Exploration of the role and relationship of mentors at each stage;
	Breakout sessions by family (when multiple families are attending) or age groups (who have similar developmental needs) to discuss decision-making about succession; and,
	Discussion of best practices and essential tasks for continuity planning.