AIDAF

The Intergenerational Challenge of SMEs

Client

AIDAF - Italian Association of Family Businesses

The Testimonial:

“The methodology is truly effective. I found Stefano’s insistence on pushing participants to internalize the course’s arguments and lessons extremely useful, stimulating an active process in our minds aimed at making the teachings and exercises our own — right away, not tomorrow. I found this method far more effective than the traditional lecture. This process allowed me to leave with a small but real toolkit of knowledge and experience, instead of a list of (often impractical) notions. I found the whole modus operandi brilliant, especially the idea of receiving the teaching material (diagrams, frameworks, rules, etc.) only after having grasped the learning. This allowed me to first understand the core of the teaching on a personal and therefore concrete level, and only then align it with structured materials. Receiving the diagrams right away would have left my mind passive, and I would have walked away with a list of concepts I wouldn’t have known how to apply. I greatly appreciated the methodology: few slides, lots of active thinking; few slogans, lots of practice and application; no miracles, but plenty of real life. Thank you.”

Carlo

Need

Generational transition represents a crucial challenge for family businesses, where balancing the preservation of tradition with the need for renewal becomes essential for organizational progress. This theme is particularly relevant in a constantly evolving market and business dynamic, where it’s vital not only to transfer skills but also to foster adaptability to new challenges.

Intervention

The project focused on the introduction of Adaptive Leadership practices—an innovative methodological approach that helps organizations navigate the complexities and uncertainties of the contemporary context. Through an intensive and interactive course, participants were guided in distinguishing between non-negotiable elements of company culture and practices that may hinder development.

Topics addressed:

 • Change management and innovation within continuity.

 • Recognition of tensions between the status quo and organizational transformation.

 • Practical tools for selecting and implementing innovative strategies.

Method:

The approach combined experiential sessions with guided reflection, promoting active and personalized learning. Instead of transmitting knowledge frontally, participants were engaged in a process of concrete assimilation of skills, with the goal of immediately applying what was learned in a business context.

Results

 • Participant satisfaction exceeded 80%.

 • A second edition of the course was launched to deepen the strategic ideation process.

 • Concrete interest from participating companies in developing specific and targeted programs.