The nine life dimensions of a family decision: from coherence to energy
The essentials in 30 seconds
- A family decision is read on 9 life dimensions: coherence, sustainability, resonance, care, trust, transparency, clarity, stability and energy.
- Each dimension receives a rating, and the ratings combine into a score from 0 to 1.
- A score above 0.618 marks a viable decision (EQOS Asia private page, 2026).
- Each section pairs a dimension with a family office question.
- You can try the scoring in the Λ simulator as of October 2026.
The 9 life dimensions of a family decision are coherence, sustainability, resonance, care, trust, transparency, clarity, stability and energy, and this guide shows what each means for a family office as of October 2026. EQOS Asia rates them from D1 to D9 and combines the ratings into the family office decision score, on a scale from 0 to 1, as shown on the EQOS Asia private page.
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How does coherence apply to a family office decision?
D1 opens the first set of dimensions, D1 to D3, which describes purpose, capacity and feeling. Coherence measures the alignment between personal values and planned action (EQOS Asia private page, 2026). A family that prizes independence and designs an office that depends on outside managers shows a gap on this dimension.
A useful exercise: write the family values in 3 sentences, then check each planned office function against them. Functions that serve a stated value raise the rating, and functions that serve none invite a question about why they exist.
Can the family sustain a family office over the long term?
Sustainability measures the long-term financial capacity to carry the decision (EQOS Asia private page, 2026). An office creates recurring commitments for staff, systems, audit and insurance, so the family needs capacity that lasts through years of weaker markets as well as strong ones.
Test sustainability by stretching the horizon: ask whether the family can carry the office for 10 years if conditions turn less favorable, and which functions it would reduce first. A clear answer lifts the rating, and a vague answer shows where to prepare.
How does resonance shape a family office decision?
Resonance measures the emotional and energetic impact of the decision on you and those close to you (EQOS Asia private page, 2026). The same structure can feel like care to one heir and like control to another, and the rating records how the family feels, which shapes whether the office is adopted.
Ask each family member to describe in one sentence how the office would change their daily life. Matching sentences signal high resonance, and contrasting sentences mark a conversation to hold before any commitment.
Who does a family office affect, and how does care measure it?
D4 opens the second set, D4 to D6, which describes others, context and information. Care measures the attention paid to consequences for others (EQOS Asia private page, 2026). An office touches spouses, children, staff, partners and beneficiaries, and each of them lives with the results of the decision.
List every person the office affects and write one consequence for each. A list that includes the quieter members of the family, such as a younger heir living abroad, raises the rating, because the decision then shows attention to the whole circle.
What does trust measure in a family office decision?
Trust measures the solidity of the context and of the commitments made (EQOS Asia private page, 2026). For a family office, that covers trust in advisers, banks and providers, trust between family members, and the strength of the agreements that bind them.
Sort the commitments around the office into written agreements and verbal understandings. Written commitments raise the rating of trust, and verbal ones mark the points to document, such as roles, authority limits and the way disagreements get settled.
How transparent is the information behind a family office decision?
Transparency measures the clarity of the available information (EQOS Asia private page, 2026). A family office decision needs a consolidated picture of assets, liabilities, entities and obligations across banks and countries, and gaps in that picture lower the rating.
Gather the latest statements and mark each gap: a missing valuation, an unclear ownership chain, an account known to a single person. Closing the biggest gaps first improves transparency quickly, and it also prepares the data an office would need on its first day.
Why does clarity of objectives matter for a family office?
D7 opens the third set, D7 to D9, which describes objectives, resilience and energy. Clarity measures the precision of objectives and steps (EQOS Asia private page, 2026). A family that wants an office to provide security and growth needs to say what each word means in numbers, dates and responsibilities.
Write the objective in 2 sentences and the first 3 steps with an owner and a date. A precise objective makes the other ratings easier to give, because every member then rates the same decision.
Would a family office stay stable when conditions turn adverse?
Stability measures resilience against adverse scenarios (EQOS Asia private page, 2026). For a family office, adverse scenarios include falling markets, the departure of a key adviser, a family disagreement and a change of residence by a founder.
Pick 3 adverse scenarios and trace how the office would respond to each. A plan that names the responsible person and the first action in every scenario raises stability, and a plan that stops at the first question shows what to prepare.
Who has the energy to carry a family office decision through?
Energy measures the vital strength available to carry the decision through (EQOS Asia private page, 2026). Setting up and running an office takes sustained attention from family members, and the rating reflects whether someone has the time, health and motivation to lead the effort.
Together the 9 ratings produce a score from 0 to 1, and a result above 0.618 marks a viable decision. This page is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice. You can try the scoring in the Λ simulator as of October 2026.
See also in this guide
Frequently asked questions
What are the 9 life dimensions of a family decision?
They are coherence, sustainability, resonance, care, trust, transparency, clarity, stability and energy, labeled D1 to D9 by EQOS Asia. Each one captures a different pressure on a decision, from values and financial capacity to information, objectives and resilience (EQOS Asia private page, 2026).
Which dimension covers the long-term cost of a family office?
Sustainability covers it. It measures the long-term financial capacity to carry the decision, and an office creates recurring commitments for staff, systems, audit and insurance. Testing the capacity over 10 years under weaker conditions gives the family a realistic rating.
How does a family improve its transparency rating?
Gather the latest statements, mark each gap in valuations, ownership chains and accounts, and close the biggest gaps first. Better information raises the rating and prepares the data an office needs on its first day. EQOS Asia defines transparency as the clarity of available information.
Does every dimension receive its own rating?
Yes, each dimension receives its own rating, and the ratings combine into a score between 0 and 1. A score above 0.618 marks a viable decision, and the weakest dimension shows where to rework first (EQOS Asia private page, 2026). The exact combination is confidential.
Test your knowledge
1. Which dimension measures resilience against adverse scenarios?
- Stability
- Coherence
- Energy
Show the answer
Stability.
2. Which dimension measures the precision of objectives and steps?
- Trust
- Care
- Clarity
Show the answer
Clarity.
3. How many life dimensions does the EQOS Asia score read?
- 6
- 9
- 12
Show the answer
9.
4. What does care measure?
- The attention paid to consequences for others
- The cost of the office
- The size of the portfolio
Show the answer
The attention paid to consequences for others.
5. Which score marks a viable decision?
- Above 0.100
- Above 0.618
- Above 0.900
Show the answer
Above 0.618.
About the author
Stéphane Jambu
President, EQOS Forecast Asia
Stéphane Jambu leads EQOS Forecast Asia and works as a consultant in e-commerce, search visibility, and AI. LinkedIn profile
Sources: EQOS Asia private page (eqos-asia.com/private.html), EQOS Asia simulator (eqos-asia.com/simulator.html), consulted on 23 October 2026. Page updated on 23 October 2026.