Creating space for meaningful family conversations.

A facilitated family meeting can be especially helpful when families want to have important conversations without placing the full burden on one or two individuals to manage the process.

Facilitation is often a good fit if:

• No one wants to be responsible for disclosing sensitive information, such as financial figures, ownership details, or difficult news

• Family members want to participate in the conversation rather than lead or manage it

• Topics are complex, emotionally charged, or unfamiliar—and the family would benefit from structure and guidance

• Conversations tend to stall, go in circles, or move underground after meetings

• The family wants a neutral presence to help keep discussions balanced, respectful, and focused

Facilitated meetings are also valuable when families recognize that being a participant and being a facilitator are very different roles. Having an experienced, neutral guide allows family members to stay engaged in the conversation—listening, reflecting, and contributing—rather than managing dynamics or outcomes.

Ultimately, facilitation is right for families who care about the quality of their conversations and want to create space for clarity, understanding, and forward movement—without asking any one person to carry the weight alone.

A bad family meeting rarely looks disastrous in the moment. But its consequences can be. Misunderstandings harden, trust erodes, and the issues the meeting was meant to resolve resurface, often bigger, and harder to address. The real cost often shows up long after the meeting ends.

Thoughtful preparation and skilled facilitation don’t guarantee easy conversations, but they significantly reduce the cost of getting them wrong.

Preparation is the foundation of a productive family meeting. We believe the most important work happens before anyone enters the room.

We don’t parachute in.
Instead, we take time to understand the family, the relationships, and the moment you are navigating, so the meeting is designed with intention rather than improvised in real time.

Our preparation process typically includes:

1) Clarifying purpose
We work with key family members to clarify why the meeting is being held and what would make it meaningful. A clear purpose sets direction and prevents conversations from drifting or becoming unproductive.

2) Understanding the family context
We spend time learning the family’s history, dynamics, roles, and sensitivities. People come to meetings with emotional histories, and accounting for that context is essential to creating a respectful and constructive environment. We do this through 1-on-1 conversations.

3) Identifying participants and perspectives
We help determine who should be in the room, and just as importantly, who should not. Thoughtful inclusion supports openness, balance, and clarity.

4) Designing the conversation
We design a structure that fits the family and the moment. This includes pacing, sequencing topics, and choosing formats that encourage listening, reflection, and productive dialogue. We take as many rounds on meeting materials as needed to ensure every family member is aligned and comfortable with the content.

5) Setting expectations and tone
Before the meeting, we help establish shared expectations around participation, respect, and confidentiality. As Priya Parker writes in The Art of Gathering, the invitation sets the tone—and we take that seriously.

6) Preparing for moments of tension
We anticipate where conversations may become difficult and prepare ways to slow things down, refocus the group, or create space for multiple perspectives without escalation.

Our role is to design and guide a thoughtful, productive conversation. We focus on creating structure, setting clear boundaries, and supporting respectful dialogue, so families can engage meaningfully without conversations becoming unproductive or overwhelming.

No. We remain neutral and do not advocate for specific outcomes. Our role is to support the process of conversation, not to determine decisions. We help families hear one another more clearly and think together more effectively.

We approach moments of tension with steadiness and care. When emotions arise, we slow the conversation down, clarify what is happening, and help participants stay engaged without escalation. The goal is not to avoid difficult topics, but to address them constructively.

Hesitation is common and understandable. We design meetings in a way that respects different comfort levels and invites participation without pressure. Our approach emphasizes safety, clarity, and choice, allowing individuals to engage at a pace that feels appropriate.

When helpful, we support families in clarifying key takeaways, decisions, or next steps. This helps ensure the conversation leads to meaningful progress rather than ending when the meeting concludes.