I thought this might be useful to fellow XPX members working with founders and families during succession.
The article looks at a familiar problem: a founder says they want the next generation to take more responsibility, yet continues to override decisions or remain involved in ways that make the transition difficult. My argument is that this is often more complicated than a reluctance to give up control. The founder may be trying to protect something important, even while that same involvement is preventing successors, management, and the board from developing.
I explore how empathy can be used as a practical tool to help founders see both sides of that dilemma and shift the conversation from “When are you going to step back?” to “What would need to be true for stepping back to feel responsible rather than reckless?”
I’d be interested in how others in the XPX community have helped founders navigate this part of succession.
https://www.exitplanningexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Edelman-Why-Family-Business-Founders-Struggle-to-Let-Go-familybusinss-org.pdf
