Process

The Clear Future Advantage™

While many circumstances are beyond your control, such as the weather, the markets, or others people’s behavior, you can increase certainty by developing succession, estate and strategic plans; by clarifying intentions and expectations; and by improving communication.

Improvements in relationships, effectiveness, transitions and performance are a result of sustained interaction over time with Lance’s unique issue and participant-driven planning model, originating from his background conflict analysis and resolution and business management experience.

Listening for Opportunities

We begin with a structured discussion to:

  • Articulate the likely outcomes and consequences of your current path.
  • Understand your history, goals and concerns.
  • Comprehend your personal, family and business vision and values.
  • Brainstorm various approaches to structuring the process taking into account your organization’s unique dynamics.

We then restate our understanding of your desired outcomes and offer suggestions for a process and fee structure for our work together.

Imagining the Possibilities

Next we get to know your family and business by:

  • Confidentially interviewing key participants to understand their perspectives.
  • Assessing organizational and individual strengths and gaps.
  • Mapping key professional resources and relationships, to utilize your current advisors’ perspectives and prior efforts.
  • Conducting behavioral profiles to help everyone understand individual motivators and communication styles.
  • Review financial statements, wills, trusts and other relevant documents.

We then deliver a proposed agenda for a series of planning meetings.

Convening for Clarity

In the third phase we facilitate a series of meetings, often over several months, aimed at:

  • Surfacing each participant’s perspective about the future.
  • Agreeing on the collective opportunities and issues facing the family and/or business.
  • Clarifying the group’s vision, values and goals, and the individual roles, development needs and expectations going forward.
  • Identifying strategies and plans to solve issues, address needs and take advantage of opportunities.

After each meeting we provide written documentation of discussions and action plans.

Enriching the Future

Depending on your needs, we can provide:

  • Ongoing and regularly scheduled family/business meetings to drive implementation of strategies.
  • Phone support and coaching/development discussions.
  • An increasing focus on governance to bring lasting structure to the family business improvement process.
  • Coordination of/with other professional advisors to increase efficiency, accountability and communication.
  • Accountability to continue making forward progress on your goals and plans.