Mergers and acquisitions, while promising exciting ventures, can often become battlegrounds of clashing cultures, leaving you with a demoralized workforce and a struggling combined entity.

And if you do not address the many issues that a corporate merger or acquisition present regarding your culture, you will soon lose many of the people that could propel your organization forward successfully.

In fact, McKinsey reports that roughly 70% of mergers fail – largely due to leadership issues…

The reality is that when leadeing through a merger, retention and results are always symptoms of the CULTURE that you intentionally create and sustain…

But fear not – this guide equips you with the tools and strategies to navigate this journey, fostering a vibrant team culture that fuels success.

Of course, building a healthy and high-performing workplace culture integration is an ongoing process, not a one-time event.

So, let’s equip you with a helpful roadmap to navigate the journey!

7 Steps to Successfully Cultivate a Thriving

Team Culture After a Corporate Merger

 

1. Identify Possible Issues: Dig Below Surface-Level Harmony

Imagine two tectonic plates grinding against each other – that’s what unchecked cultural differences can do to your merged entity. Don’t wait for the tremors to erupt.

Diagnostics are your pickaxe, helping you identify fault lines before they cause fissures.  Utilize management interviews, employee surveys, and even customer feedback, but don’t stop there. Go beyond surface-level responses.

Conduct focus groups where employees from both sides can share their concerns and aspirations.

Analyze previous company rituals, communication styles, and decision-making processes. Remember, understanding these nuances provides invaluable insights for informed action and a smooth transition.

 

2. Define Values: Build a Blueprint Brick by Brick

Your cultural integration isn’t just about flowery mission statements. It’s about tangible actions and behaviors that drive alignment. Think of it as building a magnificent house, but instead of bricks and mortar, you’re using cultural values to define desired behaviors.

Establish a new list of 4-5 Core Team Values… and defining behaviors.

And then facilitate a workshop or retreat where stakeholder team members and leaders can clarify WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE in real, day-to-day interactions with coworkers and clients.

These workshops should be interactive and iterative, allowing continuous refinement based on employee feedback. Remember, granularity is key. Don’t just say “we value collaboration,” define what collaboration looks like in practice – regular team meetings, shared documents, cross-functional projects.

Imagine building a magnificent house without a blueprint. That’s cultural integration without a defined purpose. The CEO sets the tone, championing the mission with unwavering commitment. Will your merged entity assimilate one culture, blend both, or even import a brand new one?

Align strategic goals with cultural direction – will the new culture be more risk-taking or conservative, hierarchical or flat? This clarity lays the foundation for a thriving future. But remember, it’s not enough to identify the values that will drive decisions by all team members – Transparent and consistent communication from the CEO and leadership team is crucial. Utilize town halls, email newsletters, and internal social media platforms to keep everyone informed and engaged with STORIES of values in action that inspire and inform.

 

3. Create Connections: Build Meaningful TRUST

Imagine merging two restaurants, one known for fine dining, the other for fast food. Your goal isn’t a mushy mix, but a refined taste of excellence. A targeted culture-change plan defines desired behaviors, implements training, and establishes feedback mechanisms. But all of those plans and documents mena NOTHING if the people responsible for implementing them are not connected.

Team building training programs should be planned to focus on creating the relationships and familiarity with other team members who they will be depending on in their role… 

Establish mentorship programs where employees from both sides can learn from each other. Implement pulse surveys and regular feedback loops to gauge employee sentiment and track progress. Remember, performance metrics are improved along with greater employee engagement, higher retention, and  increased productivity when strong relationships are built and sustained…

Mergers are often driven by strategic reasons, but cultural common ground of relationships between new team members is essential to unlock the deal’s true value. Don’t just assume similarities – actively identify team personality styles and their impact through workshop activities.

Organize joint social events and team-building events to foster interaction and understanding. Highlight these similarities to build trust and empathy. Remember, culture isn’t just perks or dress code; it’s the fabric that holds a company together. Celebrate cultural diversity while nurturing a shared identity.

 

4. Bring Them Together: Craft a Cohesive Story

Focus on common goals to overcome the initial hurdles of integration.

Emphasize the strategic rationale for the merger and highlight cultural similarities found during diligence. Encourage humility and empathy – a willingness to learn from each other is key. Organize organziational story projects where teams from both sides give examples of what has gone well – and collaborate on what success should look like moving forward.

What is the story we want to tell about our team performance and impact in one year? What needs to happen to ensure that story becomes reality? This fosters understanding and breaks down silos.

Bi-weekly team meetings and newsletters are valuable channels to keep communication flowing.

But don’t just push information out – create opportunities for two-way dialogue. Encourage employees to share their perspectives and goals and concerns. Remember, communication is about inviting and considering the ideas of people who you are depending on to achieve your results.

 

5. Clarify Milestones: Recognize Team Achievements 

Merging cultures is a marathon, not a sprint, and progress is one the the world’s greatest motivators – and one of the best parts of running a marathon, looking back, is the refreshment stations that provided encouragement and snacks and hydration along the route.

Your job as a leader is to clarify the path you want your people to follow, and then celebrate their progress as they work together.

So recognize and celebrate milestones along the way –

Successful project completions, positive feedback from customers, and employee milestones like anniversaries and tenure achievements should be recognized.

Public recognition through company-wide announcements, awards, and even social media shout-outs boosts morale and reinforces the desired behaviors. Remember, a culture of appreciation goes a long way in keeping employees engaged and motivated.

Remember, tools and strategies are powerful, but leadership commitment to communicating a destination and sharing updates on progress drives performance! When aspirations and actions harmonize, your cultural integration toolkit becomes the catalyst for a seamless, successful future. Effective Leaders must celebrate successes that reflect the new culture, addressing concerns with empathy and transparency, and holding themselves accountable for progress. Remember, cultural change starts at the top.

 

6. Keep Learning: Embrace New Landscapes

The business landscape is constantly evolving, and so should your cultural integration efforts.

Because CHANGE will always be something your people are dealing wiht – even after the merger or acquisition – you want your people to Stay Coachable and willing to adjust successfully to new platforms or processes or programs that are needed…

Conduct regular surveys and focus groups to gauge employee sentiment

When you identify areas for improvement, be sure to communicate HOW those suggestions and nuggets of information are being used – and what improvements were made as a result of your team input. One of the most dangerous things you can do as a leadership team is to request input and perspectives in a surevey and then NOT TAKE ANY ACTION or share that their time and insights were valuable…

Be open to feedback and willing to adapt your approach as needed. Remember, cultural integration is a journey, not a destination. Embrace the dynamic nature of this process and continuously strive for improvement.

 

 

7. Launch Your New Culture: Have A Catalyst Event

Building a thriving team culture after a merger is a complex but rewarding endeavor. By following these steps and fostering a culture of open communication, collaboration, and continuous learning, you can create a unified and engaged workforce that propels your combined entity towards success.

But remember, building a truly transformative culture often requires a catalyst, a spark that ignites the collective spirit and propels positive change.

…This is where Sean Glaze steps in as a team building speaker and facilitator

Sean’s dynamic and engaging approach:

• Breaks down cultural barriers through interactive workshops and storytelling, fostering empathy and understanding.
• Inspires shared vision and purpose, helping teams connect with the “why” behind the merger and rally around common goals.
• Develops collaborative behaviors through facilitated exercises and challenges, fostering trust and open communication.
• Ignites collective energy and enthusiasm, leaving your team motivated and empowered to create a vibrant new culture.

By engaging Sean as your cultural transformation catalyst, you’ll create an unforgettable experience that ignites the positive and profitable culture you desire.  Imagine your team, energized and united, working together seamlessly to achieve extraordinary results. Don’t wait for cultural clashes to erupt, take proactive steps towards building a thriving team culture.

Invest in your future, invest in your people, and invest in Sean Glaze as your guide on this transformative journey. Contact Sean Glaze today and unlock the full potential of your merged team. Together, you can build a culture that fuels success, drives innovation, and propels your organization to new heights.

Remember, the power of a positive and profitable culture is undeniable.

Take the first step today – contact Sean for a team building workshop!

     –     –     –     –     –

Sean Glaze is an author and leadership expert who has worked with clients like Cisco, John Deere, Coca-Cola, and Emory University to increase collaboration, boost productivity, and build exceptional workplace cultures.

As a successful basketball coach and educator for over 20 years, Sean gained valuable insights into leading winning teams – and now he travels around the country to share those lessons…

Sean’s engaging conference keynotes and interactive team building events help accelerate the growth of more effective leaders.

And Sean’s books, Rapid Teamwork, The 10 Commandments of Winning Teammates, and Staying Coachable are entertaining parables with powerful take-aways to improve team performance and leadership!