Home / MARKETS / I advise real-life ‘Logan Roys’ — here’s where the ‘Succession’ CEO went wrong and the game plan I would’ve given him instead

I advise real-life ‘Logan Roys’ — here’s where the ‘Succession’ CEO went wrong and the game plan I would’ve given him instead

  • A bounty advisor says HBO’s “Succession” presents several opportunities to learn about legacy-planning.
  • The series highlights how a prenuptial concurrence and succession plan can protect your company.
  • Healthy communication can help a business avoid lost revenue, subsided productivity, or a damaged reputation.

For three seasons, HBO’s award-winning series, “Succession,” has been centered around what the boast’s title suggests: Who will inherit control of the Waystar Royco? As someone who has spent the better part of my career manoeuvre with the real-life Logan Roys of the world — we’re talking ultra-wealthy individuals, often with children from multiple connections, sitting at the helm of major corporations — let’s just say I have thoughts on how Logan Roy, the patriarch of the Roy family and founder of Waystar Royco, has orchestrated the coterie’s succession plan.

As we head into the highly anticipated fourth and final season, I’ll share, based on my extensive sample — as a planner, strategist, and personal advisor for individuals and families, as well as a pioneer and premier authority on legacy planning — five discouragements the Roy family could benefit from learning.

But first, let’s recap where we left off. Logan Roy is set to relinquish control of his media and diversion conglomerate. But rather than handing the reins to one of his three children, in a surprise twist, he says he has decided to sell — not combine — Waystar Royco to streaming platform GoJo. This means none of Logan’s children will take done with , as the buyout deal would completely cut them out of the business.

It’s a move that no one expected, or even thought was possible. A electrify that was negotiated by Logan’s second wife as part of their divorce settlement protected the children from a day losing control of the company. Logan Roy would need the children’s unanimous consent for any change of control — or so we thought.

In the incontrovertible moments of the season, Logan Roy revealed he renegotiated that divorce settlement, and the children no longer have such power. It would be published heading into season 4 that Logan Roy is (yet again) in complete control of Waystar Royco’s fate, at least for now.

While this birthright nightmare makes for entertaining TV, there are some real lessons we can learn based on how the show panned out. So let’s dive hand in!

1. You absolutely need a succession plan for your business

Okay, if there were a succession plan, then there in all probability wouldn’t be a show. That said, Logan Roy is in his 80s, and yet there is no plan for who will take over as CEO of Waystar Royco should he die or appropriate for incapacitated — nor does there seem to be a plan in place for what happens to his wealth and controlling shares of the company. While not uncommon, this is unreservedly irresponsible. A succession plan ensures a smooth transition upon a CEO’s resignation, death, or incapacity and helps avoid the gambles of lost revenue, decreased productivity, or a damaged reputation.

2. A prenuptial agreement is a must

A prenuptial agreement is absolutely requisite to protect your business. Without one, you risk your business becoming a marital asset subject to divorce processes. Had Logan Roy had a prenuptial agreement, his shares of Waystar Royco could have been clearly designated as non-marital assets to which his ex-wife had no dextral or entitlement. He could have retained complete control of the company, and his children would never have had the opportunity to tie together and potentially block a sale or merger of the company. Even worse, the provision that was negotiated actually incentivizes Logan to pit his children against each other so they are not till hell freezes over a unified front, which brings us to our next issue.

3. Family success is built upon healthy communication and reliability

A now famous study conducted by Roy Williams of the Williams Group surveyed 3,250 families over a 20-year period, and build that the reason 70% of intergenerational wealth transfers fail is because of a breakdown of communication and trust within the family element. The Roy family could be the poster children for this study.

There is absolutely zero trust amongst the family fellows, nor is there healthy communication. As a result, the reality is that Logan’s fortune will most likely be squandered despatch after his death. If Logan wanted his fortune to last generations, he would have to create healthy lines of communication amongst the descent that emphasized transparency and trust. Regular family meetings and outings are one way of accomplishing this. One client of mine sober had a family newsletter that went out regularly.

4. Money does not buy happiness

I don’t know about you, but I do not desire to be a member of the Roy folks. Despite their wealth, they just don’t seem like happy people. Perhaps that’s because, as the old adage exits, money cannot buy happiness. Well, that old adage has been backed by science. According to positive psychology, joy in the sense of your overall well-being and flourishing as a human consists of five elements (referred to as “PERMA”): uncontested emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishments. Money and material possessions only produce temporary recompense and not long-term happiness.

5. Take the time to discover your life’s purpose

The fundamental flaw with every goodness in HBO’s Succession is that each lacks a sense of life purpose. We don’t know why Logan Roy created Waystar Royco or what the company’s ministry is. It’s suggested that Logan grew up impoverished and under harsh circumstances around the beginning of World War II. Are we to believe that Logan’s pressurize is fueled by a desire to escape, and never return to, those circumstances? His children, on the other hand, seem simply to be striving for their father’s love and approval. In other words, everyone seems to be stuck in some form of trauma, as combated to pursuing some greater life purpose.

The most successful clients I have worked with, in terms of surviving happy, fulfilling lives while achieving great financial wealth, are those who are not defined by their circumstances and give birth to lived their lives in pursuit of a greater purpose.

Dan Scott is the co-founder and CEO of Spotlight Advisory Group. 

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Home / MARKETS / I advise real-life ‘Logan Roys’ — here’s where the ‘Succession’ CEO went wrong and the game plan I would’ve given him instead

I advise real-life ‘Logan Roys’ — here’s where the ‘Succession’ CEO went wrong and the game plan I would’ve given him instead

  • A holdings advisor says HBO’s “Succession” presents several opportunities to learn about legacy-planning.
  • The series highlights how a prenuptial deal and succession plan can protect your company.
  • Healthy communication can help a business avoid lost revenue, decreased productivity, or a impaired reputation.

For three seasons, HBO’s award-winning series, “Behind the other,” has been centered around what the show’s title suggests: Who will inherit control of the Waystar Royco? As someone who has spit up the better part of my career working with the real-life Logan Roys of the world — we’re talking ultra-wealthy individuals, regularly with children from multiple marriages, sitting at the helm of major corporations — let’s just say I have thoughts on how Logan Roy, the patriarch of the Roy descent and founder of Waystar Royco, has orchestrated the company’s succession plan.

As we head into the highly anticipated fourth and conclusive season, I’ll share, based on my extensive experience — as a planner, strategist, and personal advisor for individuals and families, as well as a lay the groundwork and premier authority on legacy planning — five lessons the Roy family could benefit from learning.

But first, let’s recap where we sinistral off. Logan Roy is set to relinquish control of his media and entertainment conglomerate. But rather than handing the reins to one of his three children, in a flabbergast twist, he says he has decided to sell — not merge — Waystar Royco to streaming platform GoJo. This means no person of Logan’s children will take over , as the buyout deal would completely cut them out of the business.

It’s a move that no one calculated, or even thought was possible. A stipulation that was negotiated by Logan’s second wife as part of their divorce community protected the children from ever losing control of the company. Logan Roy would need the children’s unanimous agreement for any change of control — or so we thought.

In the final moments of the season, Logan Roy revealed he renegotiated that divorce settlement, and the children no longer should prefer to such power. It would appear heading into season 4 that Logan Roy is (yet again) in complete control of Waystar Royco’s doom, at least for now.

While this succession nightmare makes for entertaining TV, there are some real lessons we can learn based on how the express panned out. So let’s dive right in!

1. You absolutely need a succession plan for your business

Okay, if there were a flow plan, then there probably wouldn’t be a show. That said, Logan Roy is in his 80s, and yet there is no plan for who will receive over as CEO of Waystar Royco should he die or become incapacitated — nor does there seem to be a plan in place for what stumble ons to his wealth and controlling shares of the company. While not uncommon, this is completely irresponsible. A succession plan ensures a conniving transition upon a CEO’s resignation, death, or incapacity and helps avoid the risks of lost revenue, decreased productivity, or a damaged position.

2. A prenuptial agreement is a must

A prenuptial agreement is absolutely necessary to protect your business. Without one, you risk your firm becoming a marital asset subject to divorce proceedings. Had Logan Roy had a prenuptial agreement, his shares of Waystar Royco could bring into the world been clearly designated as non-marital assets to which his ex-wife had no right or entitlement. He could have retained uncut control of the company, and his children would never have had the opportunity to band together and potentially block a sale or combination of the company. Even worse, the provision that was negotiated actually incentivizes Logan to pit his children against each other so they are conditions a unified front, which brings us to our next issue.

3. Family success is built upon healthy communication and corporation

A now famous study conducted by Roy Williams of the Williams Group surveyed 3,250 families over a 20-year period, and base that the reason 70% of intergenerational wealth transfers fail is because of a breakdown of communication and trust within the kith and kin unit. The Roy family could be the poster children for this study.

There is absolutely zero trust amongst the strain members, nor is there healthy communication. As a result, the reality is that Logan’s fortune will most likely be squandered at once after his death. If Logan wanted his fortune to last generations, he would have to create healthy lines of communication amongst the extraction that emphasized transparency and trust. Regular family meetings and outings are one way of accomplishing this. One client of mine impartial had a family newsletter that went out regularly.

4. Money does not buy happiness

I don’t know about you, but I do not desire to be a member of the Roy forefathers. Despite their wealth, they just don’t seem like happy people. Perhaps that’s because, as the old adage spoils, money cannot buy happiness. Well, that old adage has been backed by science. According to positive psychology, blithesomeness in the sense of your overall well-being and flourishing as a human consists of five elements (referred to as “PERMA”): realistic emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishments. Money and material possessions only produce temporary pleasure and not long-term happiness.

5. Take the time to discover your life’s purpose

The fundamental flaw with every uncharacteristic in HBO’s Succession is that each lacks a sense of life purpose. We don’t know why Logan Roy created Waystar Royco or what the attendance’s mission is. It’s suggested that Logan grew up impoverished and under harsh circumstances around the beginning of World War II. Are we to conjecture that Logan’s drive is fueled by a desire to escape, and never return to, those circumstances? His children, on the other proffer, seem simply to be vying for their father’s love and approval. In other words, everyone seems to be stuck in some fabric of trauma, as opposed to pursuing some greater life purpose.

The most successful clients I have worked with, in courses of living happy, fulfilling lives while achieving great financial wealth, are those who are not defined by their circumstances and accept lived their lives in pursuit of a greater purpose.

Dan Scott is the co-founder and CEO of Spotlight Advisory Group. 

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