Nurturing Family Culture Through Spirituality with Chris Koenemann

Today, I am delighted to welcome Chris Koenemann, a family advisor and coach specializing in spiritual coaching and accompaniment. Chris served as Prior and Cellarer of a monastery of 20+ monks that owned and operated a school and operated a parish, and prior to that Chris was a Catholic monk for seventeen years, including five years in Rome, and as a Catholic priest. He studied organizational design and worked in that field with PwC Consulting and IBM.

Of all the 5 capitals Jay Hughes defined, spiritual capital is probably still the least frequently discussed in our field. In this conversation, we focus entirely on this important and oft-neglected form of family capital. We start with a definition of define spiritual capital and how you Chris sees the importance of spirituality in today’s modern, technology-driven world.

Chris describes the reality today in the wealth management space, including how well spirituality is understood, appreciated, and incorporated in the work enterprise families undertake to manage their family capital holistically. He also talks about how well family advisors understand and engage in this field.

Chris has created a framework he calls “8 Conversations” for families to co-create a culture that sticks. He tells us about this framework, defining the 8 Conversations and showcasing how to apply them to help families in transition.

Helping families understand and develop their unique culture is at the heart of Chris’s work. He points to Harrison’s model of culture as a useful tool to achieve these objectives. He also shares his insights about the model and how he applies it with families.

Please enjoy this enlightening conversation with an expert and practitioner who spans both the technical and spiritual dimensions of building a strong family culture that lasts across generations.