- recognizing the dangers of a family triangle to avoid any problems before they become detrimental to the company
- realizing the difference between being asked to respond as a family member--parent, daughter, uncle, or son--and when the problem relates to business
- developing strategies to keep the family firm accountable by developing a group of advisors that may include the corporate attorney, accountant, or CEOs of noncompeting industries
- making business decisions for the right reasons, and building consensus in the family to support the decisions
- creating criteria for future leadership in advance by recognizing the direction the industry is taking, the needs of the company and the values of the family