All organizations have values, whether they are aware of them or not. In family businesses, Family Values and Company Values coexist. It is important to distinguish them so that there is no overlap between the two systems: the Family and the Company. If the identity of the family remains separate from that of the company, the former can continue to nourish the latter, strengthening it over time. This will facilitate the generational transition in the future.

In a family business, the founder has usually had a fundamental influence on the company’s culture and values, which are thus inevitably linked to those of the company. When company dynamics stifle these values, not only does the family suffer, but so does the company itself. It is therefore important to understand the role that values play in family businesses.

When values work, no one feels the need to declare them, but when an organization is facing change, they are important in understanding the direction in which it is moving. Without them, confusion can arise, processes slow down and negative consequences cascade throughout the organization.

Values influence and govern the objectives we define, the choices we make, the behaviors and habits we adopt. They define the Company’s Identity and are the glue between Vision, Mission, Purpose and Strategy.

In order to strengthen the Identity and the Positioning of the Company on the market in a distinctive way compared to the Competitors, it is essential to work on a strategic alignment between the Company’s Strategy and People’s Behaviors, through a balance between Personal Values, Company Culture and Business and Performance Objectives.