Converts behavioural expectations into operating norms: how decisions are made, how disagreement is handled, how authority is exercised, and how founder influence is managed.
Close the gap between the governance document and the behaviour in the room.
Make disagreement usable rather than dangerous.
Define how promoter influence operates after formal handover.
Who decides, who is consulted, who is informed — written and published.
How dissent is raised, heard and closed without becoming personal.
How promoter authority is exercised once formal authority has moved.
The cadence that makes new behaviour repeatable under pressure.
Observation of live board, family council and management meetings before any design work.
Design of decision rights, escalation paths and disagreement protocols with the family.
Rehearsal in real meetings, with facilitation withdrawn progressively over two to three quarters.
Indicative observation and scoring items used during live meeting review.
Decisions taken in the meeting are recorded with an owner and a date.
Reads: Decision discipline
Disagreement is expressed in the meeting rather than after it.
Reads: Disagreement safety
The promoter speaks first on contested items.
Reads: Founder influence
Items deferred once are more likely to be deferred again.
Reads: Closure behaviour
Sample report — family board and council, diversified group
43
Decision discipline
35
Disagreement safety
28
Founder influence balance
49
Follow-through
Illustrative composite. Client details are altered and anonymised.
ContextA board where disagreement only appeared after meetings ended.
WorkDisagreement protocol, speaking order and facilitated rehearsal over two quarters.
ImpactContested items were addressed in the formal forum rather than deferred to private conversations.
ContextA promoter who had formally stepped back and continued to decide informally.
WorkWritten founder-influence protocol with defined consultation rights.
ImpactSuccessor authority held through two contested decisions without escalation.
