Working with the Extended Tetralemma

The WIFU Foundation’s publication WIFU_compact_29: Working with the Extended Tetralemma (2023) presents the extended tetralemma as a systemic method of reflection and decision-making for entrepreneurial families. The starting point is a systemic understanding of the family and the business as interconnected social systems, in which changes to individual elements always have an impact on the overall structure. Against this backdrop, the publication emphasises the need to reflect on complex issues not merely intuitively, but in a structured and methodical manner.

In this edition, the classic Tetralemma model is expanded to include a fifth position („None of the above – and not even that“). This additional perspective makes it possible to move beyond deadlocked dilemmas and seemingly irreconcilable opposites, opening up new avenues for thought and action. Using typical areas of tension within entrepreneurial families – such as family versus business or tradition versus innovation – the book demonstrates how a systematic examination of opposites, their interconnections, relevant contexts and unexpected shifts can lead to a more nuanced basis for decision-making.

Furthermore, the text explains how the expanded Tetralemma can be applied to both emotional and supposedly objective issues, particularly in succession processes. The method helps people to tolerate ambivalence, bring expectations to light and reduce the pressure to make decisions, without prematurely forcing an ‘either/or’ choice. The publication is based on the Practical Guide: „Empowerment and Self-Reflection in Entrepreneurial Families“ by Heiko Kleve (2022) and translates its key systemic insights into a concise, practical format.