FBUK Future Leaders Programme 2026 What we’ve learnt about leading in a family business
Sophie Ashburton, Partner Nick Mayhew, Partner Alembic Strategy It starts with you Your business only ever experiences the version of you that turns up each day.
created an environment where vulnerability became a strength rather than a risk. The deep bonds that formed weren’t accidental. They grew because people realised they weren’t alone. Many discovered that the voice undermining their confidence wasn’t unique. Whether it was believing they had to work twice as hard to prove they deserved their place, worrying that difficult conversations would damage relationships, or wondering if everyone else was more capable than they were, these limiting beliefs appeared in different forms across the room. Bringing those beliefs into the open often reduced their power. Instead of asking whether these beliefs were true, delegates began asking a more useful question: Are these beliefs still serving me? That shift opened the door to a different way of leading. Working beyond the rational Much of leadership development happens through discussion and analysis. We believe there is another layer worth exploring. Throughout the programme, we used reflective and embodied approaches that helped delegates access insights beyond purely rational thinking. Sometimes our heads tell us what makes sense while something deeper is trying to tell us what really matters. Creating a personal vision isn’t simply an intellectual exercise. It requires people to connect with what energises them, what gives them meaning and the contribution they want to make over the years ahead. Only then does the plan become personal. Spikes and shadows Another idea that resonated strongly was recognising our “spikes” – the
food manufacturing, with delegates at very different stages of their careers. Yet despite their different industries
and experiences, they shared remarkably similar questions.
How do I make my own mark while respecting what previous generations have built? How do I earn credibility rather than inherit it? How do I work out what I genuinely want, rather than what I think I should want? For many people in family businesses, those aren’t easy questions. The opportunity to join a family enterprise can feel like an incredible privilege, but at times it can also feel like a responsibility that leaves little room to discover your own ambitions. Many spoke about wanting to do the right thing for the business while quietly wondering what the right thing might also be for themselves. We hold the space Rather than trying to answer those questions for them, our role has been to create the conditions in which they could explore them together.
Not your intentions.
Not your potential.
You.
The version of you that walks into difficult conversations. The version that responds under pressure. The version that makes decisions when emotions are running high. The version that others choose to follow. When people think about leadership development, they often imagine learning how to think more strategically, communicate more effectively or navigate increasingly complex business challenges. Those things matter, of course, but it’s impossible to navigate any of them unless you are able to access yourself at your best – and you can’t do that without a deep understanding of yourself. That belief sits at the heart of what we’ve explored together. While our programme takes into account the context delegates operate in, the situations they face, the dynamics of the relationships they navigate and the strategic direction they want to create, its real power lies in encouraging each delegate to think about their vision for the future, the impact they want to have and what they will need to get them there. Because the leader you bring to every conversation, every decision and every challenge is the one thing you have complete responsibility for. The cohort represented a real cross- section of family businesses, from family offices to media agencies and
We hold the space.
The delegates do much of the coaching.
From the very beginning, we invited the group to think of themselves not simply as participants but as coaches for one another. They learned how to lead from the front when direction was needed, alongside when collaboration mattered, and from behind when the most valuable thing they could do was ask thoughtful questions and listen deeply. Over time, the conversations became richer. Trust deepened. People began talking honestly about challenges that only someone growing up in, or stepping into, a family business could fully appreciate. Bound by the Chatham House rule, the group
FBUK Issue 8 28
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online