Who Will Drive the Bus? spotlights the leadership dimension for family businesses currently dealing with or about to deal with major leadership transitions. The development of the next generation of leaders should be an integral part of the strategic plan for the business. Each chapter introduces a family and its business. These cases are fictitious but their challenges are rooted in the experiences of many family businesses. These families and their stories help introduce the themes which are developed in the remainder of each chapter. It is not easy to develop the next generation to take over or at least play a significant leadership role in the family business. Whether a small business or a large one, the issues remain pretty much the same: old, unresolved issues from long ago rear their heads and interfere with sound, thoughtful decision-making for developing clearheaded business strategies. Who Will Drive the Bus? is written to help these families navigate the murky and sometimes treacherous waters surrounding them. Donnellan's book recognizes that family businesses are the heart, soul, and economic engine of much of the globe. Even in the worst of times, they seem to find a way to survive-sometimes at great cost to family health and harmony. With guts, love, and a little luck, they will continue to be the source of tremendous innovation and creativity in the United States and global economies. They seem to find a way through the inevitable transitions. This book offers guidance to help enterprising families plan for and successfully move through these transitions. This book is also written for families who want to figure out and wrestle with what the transition will mean for them - whether is it selling the business, closing shop or passing it on to the next generation or morphing into a new entity. These enterprising families face unique and sometimes daunting challenges as they move forward from one generation to the next and this book offers real-world guidance about how to achieve that goal.
