Designing a family governance system takes time

Designing a family governance system takes time. As we will discuss shortly, the precursor is often something like the family executive summary process, which allows family members to share their views on the needs for and possible uses of a family governance system. Without doing something like this, it is hard or impossible to get family engagement in the plan. Usually, much of the focus of family governance design centers around the family council, as it often sits at the center of the system, a mixture of deliberative, legislative, and executive body. Family councils come in all shapes and sizes, with varied responsibilities, as noted previously. To help you flesh out what your family council might do and how it might do it, here are some thoughts. What would be its primary purpose? -Organizing family meetings/events? -Collective decision-making? -Creating a sense of inclusiveness and a forum for input? What authority would it have? -Advisory only? -Authority to make decisions that potentially bind the broader family? How would the council be formed and structured? -How would the council members be selected or elected? -What criteria would define eligibility to serve? -How many members would it have? -How long would members serve? -Would there be officers? -Subcommittees? How would the council do its work? -How would meetings be conducted? -Would there be any formal procedures and protocols developed to govern council meetings? -How often would the council meet? -How would agendas be developed? How will the family council communicate and interact with the broader family? -Phone? E-mail? Text? -Family website? -Newsletter? -Agenda/minutes? -Report at family meeting?

— from The Flight Plan (Purpose/Wisdom/Risk)

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