BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors

Decision-Making That Sticks: Define-Discuss-Decide

The video addresses how traditional majority‑vote methods falter in family‑owned businesses and assets, proposing a three‑step “Define‑Discuss‑Decide” framework to turn hard choices into collaborative commitments. It explains that rushing into debate without a shared definition breeds hidden resistance; the define stage forces the family to articulate the exact question, scope, and success criteria. The discuss stage then gives every member a voice, emphasizing understanding over persuasion, while the decide stage seeks consensus‑based commitment rather than a simple tally. The presenter notes, “majority rule creates compliance without commitment,” and stresses that consensus means “everyone may not love the decision, but everyone will stand behind it.” Real‑world examples include families revisiting “hand‑from‑the‑grave” decisions when earlier agreements were exhausted rather than genuine. By institutionalizing this process, families can preserve trust across generations, reduce endless re‑openings of decisions, and align ownership with relationship health—turning potential conflict into durable alignment and stronger governance.