Integration; Merger; Take-over; Amalgamation – How to Bring Together Disparate Entities & Cultures.

Most organisations take their foot off the peddle when they sign an agreement to merge or integrate two entities (offices, stores, companies, teams etc.) but the real work actually commences once the agreement is signed.

Not appreciating this is one reason most organisations do not get their hoped-for returns.  In fact, the difference between a good and a great integration is the difference between complacency (and reverting to established ways of working / BAU) and what we call ‘Action Driven Engagement’.

Trust and engagement is not built on elapsed time but on the accumulation of positive and meaningful experiences.

Integration success largely depends on the level of excitement & engagement which is generated during a transition period and this largely depends on the number of positive experiences a group of people have – not the elapsed time or the systems put in place to make an integration efficient.   Such mechanics of integration are ‘threshold’ or ‘hygiene’ factors, which organisations have to get right or they will thwart progress, but beyond this, these systems have little impact on excitement and engagement and, in turn, little impact on the level of commitment people have to the merged entity.

Integration success is far more correlated with positive experiences and these include: experiences where people see opportunities; feel empowered; are acknowledged for their strengths; discover similarities between the two entities; feel a sense of belonging and; feel supported.

To see our Integration Map and to read more detail, please click here: Integration Map