David C. Bentall is a passionate and acclaimed writer. His most recent book, Dear Younger Me: Wisdom for Family Enterprise Successors explores nine key character traits that are critical for all Family Enterprise Successors. Generously sharing from his personal journey, he offers insights for all developing leaders, providing a roadmap for cultivating emotional intelligence and for improving family relationships. This handbook artfully balances academic research with practical insights from many well-known family enterprise leaders.
David’s second book, Leaving a Legacy: is an excellent guidebook and a resource designed to help families in business learn how to integrate family and business effectively.
David’s first book, The Company You Keep: The Transforming Power of Male Friendship, explores the potential for great friendships and earned two awards from the Canadian Word Guild Awards.
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BURIED TREASURE: Have you ever wondered why pirates used to always bury their treasure chests on a deserted island? As a child, it seemed to me like a reckless game of hide and seek! However, with age, I came to realize the wisdom of this strategy. If a pirate had...
First Published on InnerSelf.com Imagine yourself in the Hawaiian Islands, where you marvel at the exotic vegetation, sandy beaches, and glorious mountain ranges. Above you, the sky is a brilliant blue, and all around you are the azure waters of the Pacific Ocean. As...
Image Credit: UnsplashWithout realizing it at the time, my brother was my first role model. Chuck is 12 years older than me, and as a boy I always looked up to him (and not just because he was a lot taller than me). He was cool and drove a convertible Austin Heely...
Photo by Pixabay I recently spent two days on retreat at a monastery. Over breakfast, I met our guest master, Brother James (not his real name). When I discovered he was 44 years old, I casually remarked that my wife and I had just celebrated our 44th wedding...
By David C. Bentall HOW COULD I be spending 10 days in Bordeaux, the premium wine district in France, yet feel unhappy? I had no work to do, was surrounded by beautiful scenery, and found amazing French cuisine around every corner. Yet, there I was, feeling sorry for...
By David C. Bentall For centuries, leaders around the world have desired to see their offspring follow in their footsteps. Whether monarchs or business executives, they shared a common hope that the next generation would successfully assume the mantle of leadership....
I have never been much of a Royal watcher. However, I was, and still am, a fan of the Queen. Looking back over her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II is widely credited with both reforming and humanizing the monarchy in Britain. She also helped provide stability to the...
UNEQUAL TREATMENT REGARDING MONEY: Parents may elect to favor one child over another (sometimes unconsciously), but if they do, they need to be ready to deal with the consequences of their actions. One of the best ways to ensure that children become bitter and...
Even if family members decide to one day go their own way, and no longer remain in business together, this doesn’t need to destroy their relationships. Unfortunately, in my opinion, “shotgun clauses” are often inadvertently killing many family businesses in Canada....
I come from a family with a successful track record of business achievements that span most of the last century. My grandfather, Charles, and my father, Clark both built an enviable record in construction and real estate. Today, over 1,000 people working across North...