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The program’s curriculum addresses nine critical challenges facing the leaders of family firms, with coursework divided into two separate two-week modules held at Stanford Business School. Classroom based modules take an analytical approach to examining key decisions encountered by family business leaders, and encourage open discourse around relevant research and recent case studies. Some examples of the dozens of questions explored:

• To what extent should family values influence business values?
• How can leaders respect family tradition while promoting radical change?
• When does it make sense to recruit senior leaders from outside the family?
• How does a board recognize when it’s time to raise external growth capital—or to sell?

During the break between classroom modules, participants take part in a unique experience that challenges them to put their newly acquired knowledge into action. Based on their learnings during the first module, participants work with program faculty to design a structured leadership project to implement during the break. In addition to discussing status reports with program faculty, participants share their experiences and solicit feedback from fellow participants along the way, bridging the gap between classroom theory and practical application.

[Download Sample Schedule (PDF)]