The Context
As all of our client relationships are confidential, we’ll stick to the highlights…
Our client, a newly hired Director of New Product Development, joined a 50+ year-old family-owned and operated Midwest manufacturer. Historically, the company had provided materials and parts to other manufacturers but was ready to embark on a new chapter: developing and selling its own products. This marked a bold move into a more entrepreneurial space—a shift requiring the organization to embrace new ways of thinking and operating.
The Director, experienced in product development, now faced a dual challenge: navigating the responsibilities of a new role and the complex family dynamics inherent in a multigenerational business. His sponsor and direct report, a divisional President and member of the founding family’s second generation, was eager for this venture to succeed but lacked clear guidelines or an investment thesis to define success.
The Family Business Challenge
Like many family-owned businesses, this company reflected a common multigenerational dynamic. The first-generation patriarch—the company’s CEO—was highly entrepreneurial, adept at anticipating customer needs, weighing risks, and making bold decisions. By contrast, the second generation, having grown up amidst the success of established systems, focused on protecting and optimizing the business. This shift often creates an organizational bottleneck, where decision-making becomes overly cautious, succession planning stalls, and growth stagnates.
This dynamic is well illustrated in the proverbial saying, “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations”. Without deliberate effort, businesses can struggle to maintain the entrepreneurial spirit that first drove their success.
The Challenge for Leadership
The President had tasked the Director with finding a new market and developing a product line, giving him no parameters for focus or success. While this might seem liberating, it left the Director without guardrails, resources, or a shared vision to anchor his efforts. At the same time, the President grappled with fears of investing beyond the Director’s work and struggled with how the family’s decision-making processes were inhibiting growth.
This is where Further Degree was brought in.
As a colleague recently described it, our work was “the thing behind the thing” that made the entire initiative viable.
The Professional Thinking Partnership (PTP)
I served as a thinking partner for both the Director and the divisional President, creating a bridge between their roles, goals, and perspectives. The PTP engagement had two primary focuses:
1. For the Director:
– We clarified his challenge areas, asking, What questions should you ask yourself, your team, and leadership?
– I coached him on navigating not only product development for undefined markets, but also the dynamics of working within a family business, with its unique decision-making structures and sensitivities.
– Together, we identified how to explore and design for new markets—an area outside his prior experience—and framed what success might look like in this entrepreneurial context.
– We met weekly for nearly a year to ensure steady progress, problem-solving, and accountability.
2. For the President:
– I worked with him to examine his notions of entrepreneurship, organizational collaboration, and decision-making within the family.
– We explored ways to empower the Director while balancing the risk of investing beyond his immediate project.
– I introduced him to strategies for thinking about partnerships with other manufacturers, leveraging complementary skill sets to reduce risk and broaden opportunities.
– We met monthly to align his vision with actionable strategies and address deeper organizational challenges.
The “Thing Behind the Thing”
This PTP engagement wasn’t just about moving the product development project forward. It addressed the underlying organizational challenges that needed attention for success. As a colleague recently described it, our work was “the thing behind the thing” that made the entire initiative viable.
One critical outcome of this engagement was creating a shared space for the Director and President to meet, discuss their differing assumptions and frameworks, and develop a common language. By fostering alignment between their perspectives, we enabled clearer communication and more effective collaboration.
…the Professional Thinking Partnership was the catalyst that allowed the company to move forward, balancing entrepreneurial ambition with thoughtful risk management.
Collaborative Outcomes
• The Director gained clarity and confidence in his role, developing actionable strategies to meet his objectives.
• The President began to see entrepreneurship not as an isolated task but as a collaborative effort requiring strategic investment and partnership.
• And, through a partnership with Common Object Studio, we developed an investment thesis, researched and identified potential markets, and designed and prototyped the foundation of a new product line. *More on that in an upcoming Case Study.*
A Year of Progress
Through nearly a year of regular sessions, we supported the organization in aligning its vision, defining its approach to entrepreneurial growth, and navigating the challenges of family dynamics. This PTP engagement exemplifies how investing in leadership alignment and strategic thinking can unlock innovation and pave the way for long-term success.
Conclusion
Family businesses often need more than innovative ideas to thrive—they need clear communication, shared vision, and the courage to address deep-rooted dynamics. In this case, the Professional Thinking Partnership was the catalyst that allowed the company to move forward, balancing entrepreneurial ambition with thoughtful risk management.
Reflection
For family-owned businesses looking to grow beyond their established systems, the question isn’t just about what to build next but how to align their people, processes, and philosophies for success. This case demonstrates how a thinking partner can bridge those gaps, enabling innovation while honoring the complexities of legacy.