Post Merger/ Acquisition Cultural Integration

Whether the post merger/acquisition focus is on combining cultures, adopting the cultural traits of the acquiring company or creating a culture where two distinct subcultures operate symbiotically, leaders must take accountability for creating the culture that will bring success in both the long and short term. Unfortunately, most leaders don’t. The majority of mergers/acquisitions not only fail to deliver the intended benefits, but also destroy shareholder value. Here’s an example of how taking greater accountability for the post merger/acquisition cultural transition can make a big difference.

After a merger of two pharmaceutical giants, the post merger environment was a breeding ground for Below The Line behavior. These were some of the questions that abounded: “Why wasn’t this considered during due diligence?” “Who dropped the ball on this issue?” “How long has this been going on?” and “Why doesn’t my manager know about this?” Having already adopted Self Track training, the two companies determined that only an Above The Line approach would help everyone take accountability for improved communication and culture integration. Whenever people asked post merger questions, they were urged to ask another set of questions as well: “What else can I do about it?” and “Who else can I contact to obtain the information I need?” By placing accountability with the person who was asking the question, leaders and managers created an organization full of people working to solve problems, rather than complaining about them. The increased “Solve It” dialogue led both companies to adopt best practices from each other, resulting in a superior combination of best practices. Instead of succumbing to perpetual complaints and paralyzing confusion, these two companies helped their people take accountability for the basics of cultural integration. The results were huge cost savings, reduced turnover, improved sales performance, and increased shareholder value.

The Partners In Leadership Accountability Training and culture change processes help clients accelerate the formation and integration of post merger/acquisition cultures. With over two decades of experience working in the post merger/acquisition environment, Partners In Leadership is expert at helping leaders define and implement the right cultural transition solution for their business needs. To learn more about our post merger/acquisition cultural integration and transition services, we invite you to join the Accountability Community at www.partnersinleadership.com, where you can review actual client case studies.

Above The Line, Below The Line, Solve It, Accountability Training, and Accountability Community are registered trademarks of Partners In Leadership Inc.  Self Track is a trademark of Partners In Leadership Inc.