Joining Forces

Pre-Merger Support

While complementary service offerings and products, operational processes, geographic footprints, and client markets must be considered carefully for a potential merger, cultural and other interpersonal dynamics must be scrutinized, as well – failing to do so could undermine a union that could otherwise seem to be advantageous.

As collaboration experts, our team can help you determine whether a merger candidate complements your organization’s culture, staff, and human resource management, in advance of a potential merger.

How it works:

We begin by analyzing specific areas of your organization’s culture, processes, and people management in order to have an in depth understanding of what makes you uniquely successful. We use a combination of approaches including group and individual interviews, polling, and first-hand observation, among others.

Then we turn our attention outward to your potential merger partner. We track for similarities, complementary factors, and bridgeable differences, as well as for inconsistencies that could challenge the success of the merger. We share our analysis with you, together with prescriptions for aligning the organizations.

Post-Merger Support

Even in the best circumstances, disparities exist between merging organizations. Left unaddressed, even the most benign differences can drive a wedge among colleagues and compromise the success of the unified entity.

Instead of leaving things to chance, we draw upon our expertise in conflict resolution and organizational development to identify improvement areas, reconcile conflicts, and align disparities, thus bolstering the success of your merger.

How it works:

Once critical differences are ascertained and their roots understood, we employ one or more interventions that are tailored to meet the specific challenges faced by your newly merged organization.

Our engagements are based on research and analysis, and we remain involved to help you throughout the implementation of our solutions. The menu of possibilities includes individual and group coaching sessions for senior, divisional, and/or geographic leadership, facilitated dialogue sessions among factions and individuals, strategic communication design, process reengineering, and skill building programs, among others.

In the end, your organization will enjoy a more stable, harmonious, and productive work environment chronicled by higher levels of collaboration and lower incidences of conflict.