Families need a “government” that sets up structures to regulate family dealings and ensure each family member receives predictable and fair treatment.  The family constitution expresses the will of the family for future generations and gives family members a sense of security about how matters will be handled, including a method or process for resolution …

Family conflicts are inevitable. If families can anticipate issues and create clear guidelines for dealing with them — guidelines that everyone supports — they increase the odds of avoiding the family trauma, drama and pain of the conflicts. Family constitutions are instruments of governance. They define rights and obligations and provide criteria and procedures for …

Family businesses need rules that define expectations. Without them, the business can run into trouble – for the individuals as well as the business. As families grow and family business issues become more complicated, a written family constitution becomes one of the most important gifts that founders can give to successive generations. One of my …