Family

Family The COMPACT AMONG GENERATIONS It's an unfortunate but common pattern: A family achieves wealth and stability but can't sustain its success beyond the second generation. An enterprise fails, a dynasty is lost, and pain and suffering prevail. In Family: The Compact Among Generations, James Hughes presents the reasons and the remedies for this phenomenon. The book is a journey of discovery. Drawing on evidence from ancient history, political science, psychology, physics, organizational science, and a myriad of other disciplines and spiritual traditions, Hughes makes seemingly discordant pieces fit to form a whole that is both instructive and inspiring. Distilled through this seasoned observer of families, the wisdom and insights of some of the finest minds in history make sense in a new way--a way that can truly help families overcome their most formidable challenges. Bringing to bear decades of experience working with and studying families, he maps the mistakes that lead to decline and the approaches to family governance and personal development that can prevent it.

Preface ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xvii
Part One-Families of Affinity: Their Nature and Practices
1 A Family of Affinity 3
2 Defying a Proverb 13
3 Obstacles to Affinity: The Seven Paradoxes 21
4 The Physics of Affinity 31
Part Two-Defining the Journey
5 Essentials for Success 47
6 Happiness: Finding the Spiritual Path 61
7 Self-Actualization: Lessons from Psychology 81
8 The Evolution of Family 91
9 From Family to Tribe: The Emergence of Governance 101
Part Three-Principles of Family Governance
10 A System for Joint Decision Making 117
11 Participation and Commitment 129
12 Function and Structure 137
13 Change and Accommodation 147
Part Four-Family Leadership
14 Family as an Organization 157
15 Ensuring Dynamic Ownership 169
16 The Second Generation: Leadership's Critical Stage 189
17 Women and Ownership 203
Part Five-Tools and Pathfinders
18 The Essentials for Learning 211
19 Educational Assessment Tools 221
20 The Personne de Confiance: Service Redefined 233
21 Roles and Characteristics of a Personne de Confiance 247
22 A Father's Wisdom 265
Epilogue 283
Appendix: Recommended Reading 287
Index 309