Why does it matter so much how the founder shows up to family meetings?

Kris Kluver, in The Dysfunctional Family Office, treats founder posture as the single biggest variable in whether a family meeting produces real progress or another standoff. Founders who walk in humble and curious give the family permission to drop the defensive postures. Founders who walk in defensive or dismissive guarantee everyone else does the same. Kids read the founder's body language and tone within thirty seconds of the meeting starting. The plan, the documents, the agenda, and the facilitator all matter much less than the founder's stance. The hardest work isn't preparing the materials. It's preparing yourself. Most failed family meetings can be traced back to a founder who showed up defended.