How Next Gen Leaders Thrive Under Centuries of Legacy: Insights from the House of Lobkowicz
How do you honor centuries of family legacy – without feeling crushed by it?
That question was alive in the room at the recent LBS Family Business Conference, where I interviewed Ileana Lobkowicz of the House of Lobkowicz – a Czech noble family whose story stretches back over 700 years. Her family has rebuilt twice after losing almost everything, first under Nazi occupation, then under communism. Now, Ileana is helping reimagine what legacy means for her generation, opening up archives, digitizing history, and carrying forward enduring values.
What stood out wasn't just the weight of her family's story, but Ileana herself. The clarity, confidence, and calm she brings to her role aren't a given for a next gen. Time and time again, I see that kind of grounded leadership emerging when families take intentional steps to prepare the rising generation.
At the conference, next gens shared what helped them step into their roles with confidence and purpose, and I noticed that a few practices kept coming up, regardless of geography, industry, or family history:
Be intentional about the family story. The story you tell yourself about your family shapes your sense of identity, responsibility, and possibility. Families who talk openly and truthfully about both triumphs and struggles give next gens room to find their own path forward.
Create clear spaces – with clear purposes – for gathering. Families in business need intentional ways of coming together, and clarity about what those gatherings are for. Some spaces should be about business. Some should very deliberately not be. Next gens said they're grateful for times when family relationships come first, separate from boardroom dynamics.
Include next gens earlier than you might think, but in an un-suffocating way. The next gens who step into leadership with confidence, humility, and poise were often included as early as their teenage, pre-university years, earlier than many families imagine. But it wasn't about pressure. They were invited to observe, ask questions, and learn at their own pace, seeing both the inspiring and unglamorous sides of the business. They were taken seriously by both family and non-family leaders, which built genuine confidence rather than entitlement. The most grounded next gens weren't kept at arm's length. They were quietly included. They saw the work, not just the surface glamour. They sat in meetings, asked questions, observed the messy realities, and learned from both family and non-family leaders who took them seriously.
These practices might sound simple, but they were repeatedly cited by next gens themselves – from all different geographies and industries – as key to their success, and they overlap with what I see in my own work with family enterprises. These experiences empowered these individuals to step up into their roles feeling prepared and purposeful, rather than overwhelmed and insecure.
If you're part of a family enterprise, or support one, what's one step you could take this summer to tell your family's story more honestly, include next gens earlier, or draw clearer lines between family time and business conversations?
As always, I'd love to hear how you're navigating these conversations.