So most transactions fail and it is because the softer stuff is actually the hardest to get right. Achieving deal value is about thoughtful yet practical planning, resourcing and focus. Yes, each deal is different! However, the right experience can significantly reduce failure and turn red into green. Beginning with understanding the integration challenges based on target selection and acquiring side leadership and organizational readiness; now that's strategic due diligence!
ACQUIRING SIDE READINESS
First things first. Working with the leadership and employees of the acquiring company to understand the challenges and prepare for acquisition and integration.
HR AND PROJECT TEAM PREPARATION
No matter who is assigned and responsible, whether it's a day job or in addition to everything else, it's a team that can be strengthened. How they manage, move through the deal phases, gather, share and distill information is often overlooked. Shouldn't this group become a high performing team?
MANAGING CHANGE
Cascaded and interactive approaches to prepare leaders, managers and yes, employees on both sides to thoughtfully manage change from both the rational and the emotional side.
TALENT STRATEGY AND SELECTION
Determining who leads, who stays and how best to make that last.
COMMUNICATIONS AND ONBOARDING
Developing clear and meaningful communications to both organizations and well-timed and interactive new leader, manager and employee orientation programs.
CULTURE INTEGRATION
Starting with the company being acquired and understanding from their perspective, what you are buying and how work gets done and business success is achieved. Simply put, how not to destroy deal value. Identifying both integration challenges, what is important to change; what's not. Creative ways to launch the new organization and ensure that "day one" really means something.
MEASURING INTEGRATION EFFECTIVENESS
Early news of what is on track versus an imminent thundering train wreck can refocus leadership attention and turn the scorecard from red to green. There is more than enough research on what is key from the beginning for synergy and deal value capture. You can be part of the lesser number of transactions that are successful.