Family Business Succession Readiness Survey
A self-assessment of your family business's strengths and weaknesses through the lens of succession planning.
This survey contains questions succession-ready families have thought about and know the answers to. Every question may not be relevant to the maturity of your family or the complexity of your business, but this self-assessment will give you a good idea of your strengths and weaknesses as seen through the lens of succession planning and readiness.
Self Assessment
A self-assessment of your family business's strengths and weaknesses through the lens of succession planning.
This survey contains questions succession-ready families have thought about and know the answers to. Every question may not be relevant to the maturity of your family or the complexity of your business, but this self-assessment will give you a good idea of your strengths and weaknesses as seen through the lens of succession planning and readiness.
If any of these statements resonate with you, then you probably need the services provided by a Family Business Advisor.
- You have an idea about the future direction of the family firm but you don't know how to go about accomplishing your objectives.
- You spend a lot of time talking about changes to the business operations but nothing ever seems to get done.
- You have a multi-generational business but you've never had a minuted business meeting.
- You wake up at night having the same difficult conversation with your child, parent or sibling.
- You and your siblings don't see eye-to-eye and you all wonder about your future in the family business.
- Family employees treat you with disrespect or ignore requests to improve their performance.
- A partner, shareholder or family member's personal problem is impacting the business i.e. gambling, alcoholism, verbal abuse
- There is conflict between sibling heirs that's disrupting their ability to function as an ownership or management team.
- You have a family business with some adult children participating and some not and you wonder how to keep everyone in the loop.
- You retired two years ago but now you are back.
Questionaire
For each question, choose Y for yes, N for no, or DK for don't know. Mark the five questions you consider the most critical for your family to address (the Critical button under each).
Change is never easy — but an experienced family business advisor can help you Make Things Happen!
Linda Fairburn, BIS MSOD, is a Canadian best-selling author and an expert in succession planning. Her company, Make Things Happen Limited, provides succession planning and leadership-transition assistance for family businesses and nonprofit corporations — solving problems through consulting and facilitation, or by providing the tools for self-development. She can be reached at www.makethingshappen.net.