How to develop executive maturity — with staying power — in a family business

What if you were preordained to become the CEO of a company on the day you were born? 

Surely, your path to the “big job” would look much different than someone who became CEO of a company based entirely on merit. In a family business, this is often exactly what happens. Of course, that doesn’t mean a future family business CEO is set up for failure. But while each of these theoretical CEOs may very well end up being great at their jobs, there are obviously marked differences in how they got there — differences that can come with some ramifications, like a lack of “executive maturity.” 

The concept of executive maturity — demonstrating sound actions, behaviors, and judgements—most often refers to “soft skills” that are increasingly important in successful leaders. In a corporate setting, these behaviors are almost guaranteed because of the inherent standards that set expectations for how one should behave in a corporate setting.