Guest blog: Heather Wildman on Succession: Something to explore together rather than avoid alone

Heather Wildman has spent her career working alongside farming families up and down the country. Here she explains why planning for the future and discussing succession more openly has a positive effect on wellbeing, as well as personal and working relationships.

Succession planning and personal wellbeing are more closely connected than we might think. At its heart, wellbeing comes from knowing where you are, why you’re doing what you do, and feeling valued, relevant, and able to make a contribution. In family farming businesses, this sense of purpose is deeply personal - it shapes both our daily lives and our relationships.

Yet too often, conversations about succession are avoided. Families don’t sit down together to talk, questions go unasked, and uncertainty builds. Why is this? Sometimes it is fear, fear of being challenged, of not hearing what you want to hear, or of losing your role, purpose, or identity. Other times, it may be simply not knowing the answers, so it feels easier to put your head down and hope things will resolve on their own.

Having grown up in a farming family and spent my career working alongside others, I’ve seen both sides. Some families enjoy wonderfully open, respectful, and inclusive relationships. Others, sadly, become controlling and divided, even though no one sets out with that intention. The shift often comes with change - ageing parents, new generations stepping in, or additional family members joining the business. These changes can dramatically alter family dynamics.

What I've noticed about the families who get it right

The families who handle succession well aren't necessarily the ones with the easiest circumstances or the clearest answers. What strikes me is that they treat uncertainty as something to explore together rather than avoid alone. They seem to understand that having the conversation - even when it's uncomfortable - actually reduces the daily weight of unspoken questions.

One thing that's surprised me is these families often tell me the succession conversations improved their working relationships before any actual transition happened. Just knowing where everyone stood, what they hoped for, and what worried them seemed to lift a burden they didn't fully realise they'd been carrying.

The wellbeing connection

Those who have a succession plan say that in practice, this clarity changed how they felt in the day-to-day. Not just when they were making decisions about the business. When everyone knew the general direction, when they understood what matters to the others involved, and they weren’t second-guessing every choice or wondering if they were building something no one else wants. It allowed everyone to focus on the work itself rather than the worry underneath it.

It also changes how families talk to each other at the kitchen table. When the big questions aren't lurking unaddressed in the background, there's more space for the everyday conversations that actually matter - the ones about this season, this challenge, this opportunity.

Small steps for big impact

So, how do we protect both the farm and our wellbeing? A few simple principles make a big difference:

• Shared vision: Agree on where the business is now, where it should be in the future, and how you’ll get there. This doesn’t mean everyone needs to want exactly the same thing, but you do need to understand what everyone’s working towards.
• Communication: Decide who needs to know what, when, and in what format. Clarity reduces conflict. It also reduces the mental load of wondering who knows what and whether you’re all singing from the same hymn sheet.
• Collaboration: Ensure the right skills are in the right roles. Complement each other, rather than compete. When people feel they’re contributing what they’re genuinely good at, rather than proving their worth, the whole dynamic shifts.

Succession planning is not just about the future of the farm - it’s about creating trust, clarity, and peace of mind for every family member.

Heather Wildman runs Saviour Associates Ltd which was formed in July 2014 to provide industry, farmers, growers and agribusiness clients access to sound unbiased advice, independent coaching and mentoring.