8 Out of 10 Successors Are Entitled!

By Prof. Enrique N. Soriano

Over the past two decades, I’ve had the privilege of mentoring next-generation successors—often second- to fourth-generation heirs from some of Asia’s most respected family businesses. These young scions, whose parents or grandparents are my clients, typically hold prestigious degrees and are being groomed to take on senior leadership roles.

What I share here does not come from theory, but from years of direct mentoring, long-term governance work, and deep research into multigenerational Asian business families.

One uncomfortable truth keeps surfacing:

Roughly 80% of the next gens I coach exhibit signs of entitlement.

But let me be clear: I do not fault these young leaders themselves. In most cases, the blame lies with the founding generation, whose love, fear, and desire to protect have—often unintentionally—planted the seeds of entitlement.

Entitlement: A Quiet Threat in Boardrooms and Dining Rooms

Across Asia, whether in boardrooms or around family dining tables, entitlement quietly threatens to erode even the strongest family legacies.
This is not merely about spoiled children or lavish lifestyles. It is a systemic risk that emerges when heirs are conditioned to inherit wealth, rather than prepared and empowered to lead.

A Real-World Cautionary Tale

Consider the true story (details changed for confidentiality):
A father, longing for peace and fairness, divided his wealth equally among his G2 children, believing separate assets would shield them from conflict. Instead, this well-intentioned move triggered years of lawsuits and fractured relationships. The siblings, lacking shared purpose and preparation to work together, turned their inheritance into a battlefield.

The tragic irony? The father thought wealth would protect his children from hardship. Yet it was wealth—without structure, open dialogue, and a deliberate transfer of values—that fueled suffering. The turning point came when the matriarch, previously silent, bravely asked for help. That single act of humility paved the way to transform conflict into clarity, rivalry into responsibility, and entitlement into empathy.

Why This Is So Common

Many families mistakenly believe that simply passing down financial assets ensures continuity.

In truth, continuity depends on:

• A shared and articulated purpose
• Clear governance structures
• Honest, often uncomfortable conversations
• And above all, a mindset of stewardship rather than ownership

Yet, out of guilt, fear, or the desire to “keep the peace,” founders sometimes avoid these conversations—hoping that love alone will hold the family together. Ironically, silence often magnifies tensions and leaves the next generation unprepared.

Even the Largest Conglomerates Aren’t Immune

In our recent W+B online masterclass held on July 9 and 12, we gathered dozens of next-generation family members from highly respected business groups.
Frankly, I expected the majority to come from SMEs, where governance gaps are often most urgent. Instead, it was dominated by next gens from large, multi-generational conglomerates and even listed companies.

This revealed a powerful truth: No family, regardless of size, wealth, or sophistication, is immune to entitlement if governance, shared purpose, and emotional presence are lacking.

What Participants Shared

An alarming 70% of the questions raised centered around entitlement and nepotism. Other recurring themes included:

• The pressure to “perform”
• Founders’ reluctance to share power
• The burden of inherited authority
• The fear of repeating past mistakes

One participant even wrote to me privately, confessing that being handed a title by his father—without preparation—left him feeling painfully exposed.
When an independent director challenged him, he realized his family name could not shield him:

“I felt like an impostor in the boardroom.”

This shows entitlement isn’t always loud arrogance. Sometimes, it’s quiet insecurity—young successors inheriting power they don’t yet feel equipped to carry.

The Deeper Danger: Generational Decay

We see a common pattern across Asia: wealth often peaks with the founding generation (G1) and then declines by the third or fourth generation (G3 or G4).
The familiar adage says it best:

“Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.”

Market forces play a role, but often, the decline begins at home—when heirs learn what to own, but not how to own responsibly; when they learn to claim, but not to contribute.

How Families Can Break the Cycle

It starts with one honest admission:

“We have prepared our children to inherit, but not to lead.”

From there, families can take real action.

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If this topic resonates with your family or you’ve witnessed similar struggles in your own boardroom or dining room, we invite you to join our upcoming in-person masterclass in Iloilo City this November 8. Due to the limited number of seats, interested families may inquire now at wb@wbadvisoryasia.com and look for Luz or Maica.

Together, we’ll explore how to shift from blind inheritance to responsible stewardship, equip next-generation leaders, and protect your family legacy for generations to come.