In A Family Business, Two Heads or One?

Seth Godin recently wrote a blog post titled, “Two heads or one?”  (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2015/04/two-heads-or-one.html)

The blog is based on the question of whether there is an inevitable split in a business as it grows, between the people who design products and those who market them. Godin points out the benefit of having one person successfully taking charge of both roles. He ends by saying: “There are a lot of reasons that this is quite difficult to pull off. That doesn’t mean it isn’t important.”

Though Godin was expressing a slightly different perspective, the question shows up for many family businesses as they consider succession in leadership. For example, there are two siblings or cousins both qualified to lead the business, who also bring different skills and experiences to the table. To answer the question the family must consider their goals for succession and the qualifications of each prospective successor.