Unearthing and Alleviating Emotions in Family Business Successions

Abstract

We follow one advisor and five family firm succession cases over 4 years to capture emerging emotions during the succession process. Using inductive analysis, we investigate how the advisor’s mediation of these emotions affects individual-level satisfaction with the succession process. Interviews, observation, meeting minutes, and archival data reveal an iterative process: the advisor first unearths the incumbent’s and successor’s emotions to surface emotional tensions before alleviating them. Unearthing and alleviating emotions speeds role adjustments and advances succession, especially when the incumbent becomes “stuck” in the process. Emotion mediation and role adjustment appear to foster individual-level satisfaction with the succession process.