The "Culture of Stewardship" vs. The "Culture of Entitlement"

The ultimate goal of any multi-generational family business is to cultivate a Culture of Stewardship rather than a culture of entitlement.

Entitlement views the family business as a personal ATM and a guaranteed safety net for employment. Stewardship, on the other hand, views the business as a trust—something borrowed from previous generations that must be preserved, improved, and passed along to the next.

Culture of Entitlement vs. Culture of Stewardship

• "What can the business do for me?"

  • "What can I do to strengthen the business?"

• Employment based on last name

  • Employment based on merit and market experience

• Short-term focus on personal liquidity

  • Long-term focus on generational wealth and legacy

Moving from entitlement to stewardship requires constant education. It means teaching the youngest family members early on that a last name gets you a seat at the table of responsibility, not a shortcut past hard work.

To learn more about the Academy of Family Business, our curriculum and our coaches, please email us at: info@myAFB.org