Мы верим в важность знания рынка, но ещё больше верим в ценность хороших, доверительных отношений с его участниками

Exciting Upcoming Event: AIMS International Nordic-Baltic Meeting in Helsinki

We are thrilled to announce the upcoming AIMS International Nordic-Baltic Meeting, set to take place in Helsinki on January 16, 2024. This prestigious event brings together our partners from all Nordic and Baltic countries in a collaborative and informative session.

The agenda is packed with engaging activities, including country-specific presentations where each nation will share latest insights about their home market and client experiences. This is a unique opportunity for all participants to gain valuable knowledge and foster cooperation across borders.

Highlighting the event are two customer keynote speeches, where our clients will discuss their business operations and future outlooks. These sessions provide an excellent platform for learning and sharing experiences from different perspectives.

Our annual meetings are a cornerstone of our commitment to unity and shared growth. Each year, a different country takes the honor of hosting, symbolizing our rotating chairmanship and the diverse contributions of each member nation. Last year’s meeting in Copenhagen was a remarkable success, and we are honored to continue this tradition in Finland.

We believe that meeting face-to-face is crucial for developing our operations and strengthening the bonds within our network. We look forward to an enriching exchange of ideas and experiences, continuing our tradition of excellence and cooperation.

Mikko Virta, Partner, AIMS International Finland

Why Not Giving Advice Sometimes Is the Best Thing a Family Business Advisor Can Do

Succession is one of the main challenges for business families. Typically, succession processes are very complex, encompassing a vast range of aspects: legal, financial, organisational, and emotional. Navigating this terrain is also challenging for the family business advisor, who must continually make decisions about how to be most valuable to the business families they serve.

Despite their complexity, succession processes are often approached from a technical perspective, focusing on issues such as tax, finance, and structure. In these areas, advisors can assume the role of a content expert, providing rational solutions and “best practice” advice.

However, while tax, finance, and structure are important for the successful outcomes of most succession processes, they are not sufficient in themselves. They are certainly not the best starting point. Over twenty years of experience in research and advising business families have convinced me that what is needed most for a successful unfolding of a succession process is not experts or technical solutions, but the family members’ ability for mindful self-reflection.

The reason why mindful self-reflection lies at the heart of succession is that such processes challenge some of our deepest human needs: identity, belonging, meaning, and control. Recognising these existential and emotional sides of succession enables conversations around issues and needs otherwise left aside and unfulfilled. When a succession process comes to a halt, it is typically not because of legal or financial problems. Instead, it’s due to individuals’ lack of true awareness about the emotional challenges and the subsequent relational issues—misunderstandings, false assumptions, and hurt feelings—that result from them reacting to emotions rather than mindfully acting on them.

Mindful self-reflection – listening inside to what we feel and need—is something that most of us are not trained to do. An outside person might therefore be helpful as a facilitator of self-reflection. The role of the advisor in this situation is to ask a few meaningful questions and then to listen—with presence and compassion, and with no other goal but the client’s improved self-understanding.

Most family business advisors are comfortable in the role of content expert. We are trained to provide knowledge and to have—and give—answers. However, this is not always the best role to apply, especially not in the early stages of a succession process. The simple reason is that we cannot provide relevant expert advice if we do not know what the client thinks, feels, needs, and wants. And the only one who could possibly know this is the client. This is the reason why mindful self-reflection – not outside advice – is the very source of answers that can truly make a difference to successful and sustainable succession processes in business families.

About the Author:

Annika Hall is AIMS International’s Senior Advisor, Family Business Consulting

Annika is an Advisor specializing in corporate governance and succession planning in family businesses, processes where the ability for constructive problem-solving is essential. Her work focuses on facilitating communication and helping the owning family work towards solutions that everyone can agree on. With over twenty years of experience as a family business advisor, she has worked with family businesses of different generations, sizes, and industries.

Annika holds a doctoral degree in business administration with a focus on family businesses. She has extensive international experience teaching both undergraduate and graduate students. Her subjects include leadership, strategy, organizational theory, qualitative methodology, consulting and family businesses

Forget IQ, It’s EQ: Why Emotional Intelligence Is The Leadership Skill To Master in 2024

The landscape of leadership is shifting. While technical prowess and sharp minds remain valuable, a new frontier is emerging – emotional intelligence (EQ). In 2024 and beyond, mastering this skill won’t be a mere “bonus”; it will be the defining characteristic of successful leaders.

Today’s employees crave connection, understanding, and most importantly, leaders who navigate emotions with grace and purpose. This isn’t just feel-good fluff. Research paints a clear picture:

• 58% of overall job success is attributed to EQ, according to TalentSmart. That’s not just leadership—it’s across the board.
• 75% of Fortune 500 companies are already using EQ training tools, according to Forbes, recognizing its impact on performance and morale. 
• The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2023 report highlights traits like resilience, self-awareness, and active listening as crucial for the future workforce—all cornerstones of emotional intelligence.

Consider EQ your secret weapon as a leader, with four distinct capabilities:

Super Empathy: Go beyond “feeling bad for” to truly understanding and feeling with others. This means active listening, decoding subtle cues, and responding with genuine compassion. It fosters trust, reduces stress, and unlocks the brilliance within your team.

Emotional Agility: Ditch the emotional rollercoaster. Leaders with high EQ navigate their own emotions with awareness and control. They can stay calm under pressure, bounce back from setbacks, and inspire optimism even in tough times. This stability becomes a beacon for their team, reducing anxieties and fueling resilience.

Strategic Empathy: Empathy isn’t just a warm hug; it’s a powerful tool for decision-making. By understanding the emotional undercurrents of a situation, leaders can anticipate reactions, build consensus, and guide their teams towards solutions that resonate. This translates to smoother implementation, higher buy-in, and ultimately, better results.

Emotional Contagion: We’ve all felt the infectious energy of a passionate leader. That’s emotional contagion in action. Leaders with high EQ can consciously regulate their own emotions and project positivity, enthusiasm, or determination – emotions that ripple through their team, boosting morale, engagement, and productivity.

Mastering these abilities requires more than mindfulness mantras and motivational quotes. It’s about self-reflection, vulnerability, and continuous learning. Here are some actionable steps to get you started:

Seek feedback: Don’t shy away from honest feedback about your emotional impact. Ask colleagues, mentors, and even those you manage for their perspectives.

Practice active listening: Truly hear what others are saying, both verbally and non-verbally. Pay attention to body language, tone, and unspoken emotions.

Embrace vulnerability: Sharing your own struggles and emotions creates a space for genuine connection and builds trust within your team.

Invest in EQ training: Numerous resources, from workshops to online courses, can help you hone your emotional intelligence skills.

Why EQ? In 2024 and beyond, navigating complex situations and building strong connections will be crucial. Emotional intelligence is the key.

AIMS International is your trusted partner in building an EQ-powered workforce. We help organizations identify, develop, and retain leaders who excel at:

AIMS International stands with you on this journey, empowering organisations to find, grow, and retain leaders who excel with EQ.

Executive Search: We identify exceptional leaders with high EQ, ensuring you build a team that thrives on empathy, resilience, and strategic decision-making.

Leadership & Talent Management: Cultivate emotional intelligence within your existing team through tailored programs and coaching, fostering a culture of connection and peak performance.

Board Services: Enhance your board’s effectiveness with diverse perspectives and EQ-driven insights, ensuring strategic guidance and informed decision-making for your organization’s future.

Unleash the potential within your organisation. Get in touch with us and discover how we can help you build a team of emotionally intelligent leaders for the future.

Start your exploration today — get in touch with us to unleash the leader within. 

Sources:

TalentSmart: https://www.talentsmarteq.com/

Fortune 500 Companies: https://www.forbes.com/sites/goldiechan/2022/08/22/5-ways-emotional-intelligence-can-make-you-a-better-leader/

World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2023 report: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/digest/