31: The Interdisciplinary Approach

Introduction

Welcome to Let’s Talk Family Enterprise, a podcast that explores the ideas, concepts, and models that best serve Family Enterprise Advisors in supporting their clients.

 

All views, information, and opinions expressed during this podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Family Enterprise Canada.

 

Description

Ruth Steverlynck sits down with Christian Stewart, Founder and Principal of Family Legacy Asia, and 2021 recipient of the Family Firm Institute's Interdisciplinary Award, to discuss the characteristics and merits of working in collaborative advisory teams.

 

Guest bio

Christian Stewart founded Family Legacy Asia in July 2008 to help Asian families preserve their family wealth for generations by providing them with independent and objective advice on effective family governance practices.

 

Christian works with enterprising families as a process consultant, coach, and family meeting facilitator. He helps families to form their own family council, family constitution, and family policies, often in the context of planning for succession. Christian also advises a small number of families on family learning & development and acts as a chief learning officer.

 

You can find out more about Christian Stewart on the Family Legacy Asia website and LinkedIn.

 

Key Takeaways

[:26] Ruth Stevelynck welcomes Christian Stewart, Founder of Family Legacy Asia, and asks him to talk a little bit about his career trajectory and what brought him to family enterprise advising.

 

[8:17] Christian was honored with the Family Firm Institute Interdisciplinary Award for 2021, he touches on what interdisciplinarity truly is as opposed to multidisciplinarity.

 

[12:19] Working with advisory teams is a part of what Christian does; he delves a little deeper into the three different aspects of interdisciplinarity when it comes to actually advising clients.

 

[18:14] External resources are an integral part of how an interdisciplinary team optimally functions, Christian shares an example of how this can manifest.

 

[20:25] Christian shares his thoughts and tips on how to best build a collaborative team when one is the newest addition to a team.

 

[26:45] Fostering team cohesiveness requires intentionality, Christian shares his expertise and best practices around building collaboration.

 

[29:00] Family enterprises that don’t have a cohesive, intentional approach — i.e. siloed approaches — face some risks, Christian explains how and shares a few examples.

 

[35:44] Christian shares his one piece of advice as an advisor for other advisors as well as his book recommendations.

[43:26] Ruth thanks listeners for taking time to tune in, and invites them to subscribe!

 

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Mentioned in this episode

The Let’s Talk Family Enterprise podcast is brought to you by Family Enterprise Canada.

Interdisciplinary Award — FFI

Tara Brach

More Time to Think: A Way of Being in the World, by Nancy Kline

The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace, by M. Scott Peck, M.D.

Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds, by Thomas Hübl

 

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