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Traditional Business Succession: A Male-Dominated Field
Historically, business succession has been almost exclusively in male hands. The son followed in his father’s footsteps, while women remained in supporting roles. Their work behind the scenes was scarcely recognized—even though many female entrepreneurs contributed significantly to the company’s success. An example from my own family illustrates this clearly: My grandmother ran the day-to-day operations of Möbel Schaumann largely on her own, while my grandfather was regarded as the entrepreneur. This is a reality shared by many women.
But times are changing. Thanks to societal developments and equality movements, the potential of women as business successors is coming more into focus. Nevertheless, challenges remain.
Challenges for Women in Business Succession
1. Stereotypes and Prejudices
There is still a prejudice that women are “too emotional” for leadership positions. Yet emotional intelligence has long been recognized as a key factor in successful leadership. An empathetic leadership style can motivate teams, reduce conflicts, and positively influence corporate culture.
2. Balancing Family and Career
While male successors are rarely asked how they balance family and business, this question is often central for women. The dual burden poses a challenge—but innovative models such as co-leadership or flexible work schedules offer solutions.
3. Lack of Role Models and Networks
Since women have long been underrepresented in leadership roles, many lack female role models and networks. These are, however, essential for exchanging knowledge, sharing experiences, and supporting one another. To inspire more women to pursue leadership roles, targeted mentoring programs and platforms must be created.
New Opportunities Through Female Succession
1. Flexible Leadership Models
Co-leadership or shared responsibility is not only beneficial for women but also enables men to play a more active role in family life and leisure activities. Companies benefit from this diversity, as it fosters a modern, adaptable corporate culture.
2. Greater Innovation
Diverse leadership brings together different ways of thinking and fosters innovation. Studies show that companies with mixed leadership teams are more creative and make more sustainable decisions.
3. A Solution to the Succession Problem
Germany faces a serious succession problem: Fewer and fewer people are willing to take over a business. Women as successors offer an enormous opportunity to close this gap. But this requires targeted support measures and a shift in societal attitudes.
Conclusion: The future is female—and diverse
We need to take a more diverse approach to business succession. Women have the potential not only to carry on family businesses but also to lead them into the future with new approaches and innovative ideas. Now is the time to create the right framework conditions and actively involve women in the succession process. Only in this way can companies remain successful in the long term—and the economy as a whole benefit.
