Post-Merger Integration: What Would You Do Differently?
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In one integration, we underestimated the cultural alignment challenges between teams. What’s one thing you wish you had done differently in a past PMI effort?
One lesson learned in a recent Integration was the impact of not moving more swiftly to the new organisational structure, or at the very least, developing and publishing the Target Operating Model (TOM) earlier. I was leading the Integration but was not responsible for the TOM, which was a separate workstream, led by consultants under direction from the Executives. The absence of a clearly defined TOM slowed down execution. Leaders were politically hampered at the exact moment they needed authority and momentum to drive change. Having a TOM in place early—even if refined later—would have provided clarity, reduced resistance, and enabled leadership to act with the speed and confidence required to unlock the benefits of the deal.
Been more explicit up front about all the changes that would be occurring, from branding to job retitling & so on, and more confident about communicating those changes & the value of them. Without clarity on this, and without setting expectations, I think we can inadvertently reinforce staying with the past (i.e. pre-merger state of things) vs. setting the stage for moving into the future as part of the acquiring company.
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