Jenny, you pose a very good question. Mateusz’s response and experience support the importance of using a culture coach/consultant. With many cross-border acquisitions occurring, the different national cultures and language add another complex layer to the integration process. Having a culture coach that understands how to properly communicate between the companies and their locations can go a long way toward reducing or eliminating “bad blood” in a target company. They can also make sure the messages the acquirer sends out to internal and external stakeholders are translated correctly. Minor differences in dialect could be received in error and be offensive if not handled correctly.
