Chapter 10: Being Part of an Acquisition or Merger

Overview

If you are a child of divorce and have had to adapt to a stepparent, you know something about this passage. When another organization acquires or merges with your company, you experience a sense of dislocation and disorientation. The family you’ve known for years has changed. All your assumptions, all your achievements, and all your relationships within that family are up for grabs. Not only might you have to adjust to a new boss but a new set of values and practices must be learned as well.

What’s more, your place in the family is threatened. Whether the threat is real or perceived doesn’t matter. There’s an old saying about mergers: 1 plus 1 equals 1. In the new entity, positions are duplicated, and you may assume that you or your counterpart will soon be gone. This fear can make it difficult to lead effectively, especially in the initial, post-merger period. You’re waiting for the other shoe to drop, wondering when and if it’s going to happen. It’s difficult to concentrate on business when you’re concerned that you or half your colleagues will soon be fired. Unfortunately, this is often a time of intense work requirements. In the wake of a merger, there is much to do and so little time to do it.

Leaders learn how to function effectively under pressure during this passage and, at the same time, grow in other ways. To help you take advantage of this learning, it helps to prepare for what takes places when companies merge or are acquired.