Episode 35: A fresh approach to business succession – putting people at the heart of it

When everything is technically in order, yet the succession still fails

Corporate law provisions, planning for the transfer of assets and tax planning are only a small part of the handover process. Successful business succession requires a broader perspective, openness and room for new ideas. And it puts people at the centre.

It becomes clear during the discussion that succession processes are always, to some extent, processes of change within an entrepreneurial family. Differing expectations across generations, personal role models, or individual understandings of responsibility and fairness often have a greater impact on the course of a business succession than legal issues. Conflicts therefore often only arise after the actual handover, even though contracts and tax strategies have been carefully prepared.

Many of these disputes can be traced back to the fact that key issues were never discussed together beforehand. Who feels sufficiently involved? What role will the outgoing generation play in future? What expectations do parents and children have regarding the future of the business? Only when these issues are also addressed as part of the advisory process can viable solutions be found.

Systemic and integrative counselling broaden one’s perspective

Against this backdrop, Bernd Schmid explains the systemic advisory approach. He does not view companies and entrepreneurial families in isolation, but rather as interconnected systems. Entrepreneurs act simultaneously as managing directors, shareholders, parents or family members. Each of these roles brings with it its own expectations and perspectives, which influence the succession process.

From this, the concept of integrative succession planning emerges during discussions. Tax advisers, solicitors, auditors, management consultants and systemic consultants each contribute their own indispensable expertise. However, what matters is not the number of experts involved, but their ability to work together towards a solution. Integrative consultancy is therefore understood as a collaborative process in which different disciplines combine their perspectives and support entrepreneurial families throughout the entire succession process.

New skills for succession planning

The increasing complexity of business succession is also changing the demands placed on advisers. Expertise in the fields of tax, law and corporate governance remains indispensable. At the same time, there is a growing need for skills that bridge different professions and enable advisory processes to be managed in an interdisciplinary manner. This podcast introduces new learning and training formats that promote precisely this kind of collaboration. The aim is not to replace existing specialist skills, but to complement them effectively and to sharpen one’s understanding of the interconnections between economic, legal and human issues.

Conclusion

Business succession involves far more than simply transferring assets or company shares. It intertwines business decisions with family relationships, personal expectations and long-term responsibility. This discussion highlights why sustainable succession solutions are developed, where differing perspectives are brought together at an early stage, and where various professionals work closely together.

Integrative consultancy offers a holistic approach that focuses equally on companies and entrepreneurial families