Cultural Ambassadors

Couldn’t agree with you more here, Tim. I think as most of us that are M&A practitioners know, culture is one of, if not the most, important element in integrations or separations. No deal is perfect nor are any two companies exactly identical, but the more weight, time, and preparation that can be given to cultural considerations, the more likely that the deal will prove successful. I think the idea of cultural ambassadors is great, or even at a minimum, having a designed culture workstream as part of an IMO/SMO is a key piece to ensuring that this element is accounted for in the deal is important.

Great question and concept Tim. My company does not have an established group of cultural ambassadors on PMI. Any learnings you could share on the toolkit would be greatly appreciated.

Cultural Ambassadors, change practitioners, transition team…. call it what you will. Regardless of the name, this group can provide value in a lot of ways during the transition. When this group includes top performers who are passionate about the company, this can ground the change and be a beacon for employees who aren’t sure if they should stay or go. Mid level leaders are often closer to the work, the rumors, and the impact of the transition to a typical employee and can be and advocate for both the transition and those impacted by it. They also can be a great communication network and support groups for folks struggling with the change. But it takes transparency and a willingness to listen by senior leadership of both the target and acquiring company for the group to be successful. If it is your top performers, they’ll see through slippery answers or a lack of accountability and leave.