In our work advising family enterprises, we’ve noticed that no matter how the business is structured, no matter how complex the estate plan, there are six relational forces that show up time and again. These forces aren’t dysfunctions to be fixed - they are dynamics to be understood.

In this article we explore the first of the six forces that quietly shape every enterprising family system: long-term shared emotional history.

Understanding the family as a coherent system and exploring how this can lead to greater understanding of a family’s dynamics.

At the heart of healthy communication is the ability to navigate disagreements in a healthy and constructive way. Here we offer families who share assets a framework for communicating positively with others by "leading with heart."

Like forests, families are systems; however, rather than ecosystems, families are emotional systems. A change to one part of the system has ripple effects throughout. FQ provides a framework to interpret relationship dynamics and achieve perspective.