Fresh off the Super Bowl with no more football in sight, it’s time to pick up that book collecting dust on the shelf.  To help ease you back into the routine of things as we head into the dog days of winter, here’s a quick roundup of what we have been reading.

• We often ask what does your family business mean to you and your family? David Karofsky discusses this theme through looking at four different situations that each address a different aspect focusing on family employment, business leadership, ownership, and governance. Check it out here.
• Last week we mentioned some biases to be aware of in the context of forecasting. In this article, Steven Morris who writes for the Harvard Business Review examines confirmation bias and asks five questions to help your team make better decisions moving forward.
• Succession planning is another pillar we discuss here at the Family Business Director Blog. In this article, Martin Kemp and Susan Lanz discuss how family firms must consider not only how to transfer their ownership shares, but how much goes to whom.
• Rob Sligh of the Family Business Consulting Group explores ownership succession in a family-owned business and highlights the common pitfalls to avoid here.
• Lastly, Doug Baumoel at FamilyBusiness.org addresses how generational wealth can present a paradox of choice. He also reviews a critical point within family business on how one’s identity and purpose must drive how wealth is used, not the reverse. Check out Doug’s insights here.

Looking for a longer read? Here are a few books at the top of our reading list.

Classics:

Poor Charlie’s Almanack edited by Peter D. Kaufman

Family Wealth – Keeping it in the Family by James E. Hughes Jr.

The Family Enterprise Playbook by David C. Wells Jr.

Leadership Focused:

How to Lead Your Family Business by Julie Charlestein

Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek