When white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel yesterday and Pope Leo XIV stepped onto the balcony, I felt a wave of emotion I didn’t expect.
I remember where I was the last time it happened—when Pope Francis was elected. I was younger, still learning what leadership really meant. I hadn’t yet become a mom or a business owner. I hadn’t yet walked with families through the meaningful work of preparing for what’s next in their business.
Now, after guiding dozens of families through their transition journeys—and navigating my own—I see it differently.
While your family business probably doesn’t come with stained-glass windows or international press coverage, the principles? They’re timeless.
1. Good conflict is part of every meaningful process.
Behind the scenes of the papal conclave, 133 cardinals gather to debate, pray, and vote—requiring a two-thirds majority to move forward. From the outside it may seem like a black box, but those watching trust that it’s rooted in discernment.
I’m sure there’s tension. Even now, we know it was not 100% consensus.
And that’s the part we often forget in transition planning: the disagreement, the complexity, the competing visions aren’t signs that something’s wrong. They’re signs that people care deeply about what’s at stake.
In family businesses, we often avoid these conversations to keep relationships strong. But in doing so, we miss the clarity that comes from working through differences with courage and curiosity.
2. Leadership is chosen for a chapter—not forever.
Each pope brings something different. Some are scholars. Some are reformers. Some are bridge-builders. None are meant to be the last; they’re chosen for the needs of the moment.
In family business transitions, we can forget that. We look for someone “just like the founder.” But maybe what the business needs now is innovation. Or healing. Or more structure.
Your transition journey isn’t about choosing a replica. It’s about planning for what’s next and being honest about what this chapter of your business calls for.
3. Meaningful moments matter more than we think.
The white smoke, the balcony, the new name—all of it communicates: a new leader is here, and we are moving forward together.
Most businesses don’t have such visible signals, but we all have key milestones—handoffs, announcements, internal meetings, external messages—that can give a successor their rightful beginning. When we skip those moments, we leave people wondering. But when we mark them intentionally, we create alignment and trust from day one.
These aren’t just symbolic gestures. They’re real anchors for everyone involved in the transition.
4. Legacy and change are not opposites.
Pope Leo XIV is the first American-born pope—a moment that honors centuries of tradition while also signaling the Church’s willingness to evolve. He steps into a role steeped in ritual, yet faces a rapidly changing world with new challenges requiring fresh perspectives.
The Church will expect him to uphold tradition while meeting the future with confidence.
It’s no different in business. A strong transition honors the past while making room for something new. You can carry forward a founder’s values and lead with your own voice. You can protect what came before and have the courage to build what’s next.
Great transitions don’t force a choice between tradition and innovation. They create space for both to flourish together.
Here’s what I’ll say, from one successor to another: I’m cheering him on.
Because stepping into leadership is vulnerable. Even if you’ve been prepared. Even if you’re capable. Even if you’re ready.
My hope—for Pope Leo XIV, and for every next generation leader rising quietly in their own corner of the world—is that they lead with authenticity, warmth, and clarity. That they resist the pressure to become the previous leader, and instead become the one this chapter calls for.
You don’t need centuries of tradition or a cloud of smoke. But you do need a transition roadmap. You do need permission to lead differently. And you do need a meaningful beginning.
Because how we pass the torch matters—not just for the next leader, but for everyone they’re called to lead.
And when it’s done with intention? It’s something truly special.
Andrea Carpenter is the President of The Transition Strategists and the voice behind Your Next Gen Friend. She guides families and rising leaders through the human side of business succession—with a focus on clarity, relationships, and leadership that lasts.
