I recently came across a compelling article from the Harvard Business Review titled "Why Effective Leaders Get Branded as Problems" by Luis Velasquez, published on May 7, 2026. As I read through Velasquez’s analysis of how organisations misdiagnose high performers, I couldn't help but be struck by how frequently I have witnessed these exact dynamics …
Don’t just protect the past. Build the future.
I was recently listening to two Harvard Business Review Podcasts "Scaling a Business Beyond the Family Playbook" and "How a Family-Owned Greek Cement Company Evolved Its Leadership While Pivoting Its Product Portfolio". While listening to these podcasts I could hear about so many relevant insights for Maltese family businesses, which I face on a daily …
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Loyalty
In the ecosystem of a family-owned business, "loyalty" is often treated as the highest form of currency. Owners frequently speak of the those employees who stayed through thick or thin. However, as these businesses scale, a painful irony emerges: the very people who helped build the foundation often become the primary obstacles to the renovation. …
The “Ghosts” of Family Business
I was recently listening to the latest book of leadership guru Brené Brown. For twenty years, Brené Brown has tracked the trajectory of leadership. From the early days of The Gifts of Imperfection, where she begged leaders to believe they were "enough," to the battle cry of Dare to Lead, where she prepped leaders to …
The Growth Paradox: Do Family Business Owners Truly Want to Grow their Business?
For many family business owners, "growth" is the declared holy grail. It's their primary metric of success. However, there is often a profound disconnect between the desire for the result and the willingness to undergo the process. When I peel back the layers, I often find a growth paradox: owners who crave an ever-increasing topline …
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Why Italy failed again
Albert Einstein may have coined the phrase "Insanity Is Doing the Same Thing Over and Over and Expecting Different Results" although he was likely not a football fan, this famous "quote" perfectly encapsulates the current state of Italian football. For over a decade, the Azzurri and the FIGC (Italian Football Federation) have stared at a …
Only Leaders will Save You
As we stare down a global economy that by each passing day is edging ever closer surging inflation, I always amaze myself when I see the difference in family businesses that are built on a leadership & strategic mindset versus those family businesses engulfed by an inward, operational, micromanagement culture. Inflation does more than raise …
Are we heading towards a Global Recession?
The recent escalation of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran has reignited a debate among global economists: will this be the shock that delivers a global economic recession? While the conflict dominates headlines and energy markets, its ultimate impact on the economy is anything but certain. The post-Covid global economy has proven remarkably resilient, shrugging off …
Turbulent Times
In the present turbulent times—which will surely leave multiple price, inflation, and economic growth effects—one appreciates much more when family businesses invest in data systems and analysis, governance structures, robust organisational structures, and strategic and leadership mindsets. While technical infrastructure provides the "bones" of a business, the leadership mindset serves as its internal compass, ensuring …
What Game Are You Playing?
These days have been a profound sense of deja vu for me. Watching the current global shifts feels like a playback of how family businesses reacted to the seismic shocks of the pandemic and the onset of the Ukraine-Russia war. In those moments of crisis, a clear line was drawn in the sand. On one …
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