67% of professional services firm leaders give succession planning "high" or "top priority" attention. Yet their readiness scores have declined over the past six years.

How is this possible? More attention, less readiness?

Our research reveals why traditional approaches are failing and what's actually required to succeed.

When a business is going through a succession or sale, leaders often neglect to prepare themselves for the change. Learn how this could negatively impact personal and business goals.

Why do outgoing leaders have a hard time leaving their company? A number of emotional and practical reasons make it difficult for leaders to leave their companies.

How do you sell without hurting the family emotionally and vocationally? What steps will you take to protect relationships with family members as well as their livelihood?

For some successors and other family members, the relaxed atmosphere of working with family provides welcome space to be themselves. For others, it frustratingly turns work/life balance into a hopeless illusion.

Just imagine a smooth succession transition where the outgoing owner feels confident in the abilities of the successor to make the relevant change with the full support of key employees. Learn how.

With each increasing stage of maturity, the leader's span of control expands. The inability of the leader to properly maintain control of the span of control either directly or indirectly, could lead the family business to fail.

Owners hold the hey to a business' legacy in their hands. The owner’s commitment to supporting innovation is important for the company’s transition into the next generation of leadership.

You’ve spent a significant chunk of your life building a business you can be proud of. Why sell the goose that laid the golden egg when you can use it to fund your retirement?

How much underperformance by a family member in the business is too much? When does “normal” transition pain become a symptom of a much deeper disease? Should it result in firing the family member? How can you know?

Younger members of the family could benefit from spending time in the business.

Outgoing owners must agree with their successors on a well-defined transition plan and timeline for their departure as part of the transition plan.