Post-Merger Integration
Buying another company shouldn’t be a zero-sum game
The math for integrating two companies isn’t as simple as 1+1=2. Done right, and the sum should be greater than its parts. Done wrong, and 1+1 might only equal 1, or even less.
At Living Water Consulting, we understand from experience that merging two companies, no matter how similar they may seem, is never simple, and the cost of doing it wrong is not something you can afford. Whether you’re just starting your integration journey or you’re six months in, we can meet you where you are and help you drive toward the finish line with a holistic approach that ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
The necessary ingredients for a successful post-merger integration (PMI)
Your north star
Without a clear vision to work toward, teams can go from being productive and engaged to completely frustrated and checked out. We help you create clarity and alignment from top to bottom on the purpose of your integration and help motivate and inspire your team to pull together toward a common goal.
Culture
The reason most integrations fail is cultural. In other words, how you address the integration of your cultures is just as important as how you address the integration of your business processes and technology. You need to work collaboratively with both companies to define a target culture for the new, combined company that can help shape your integration planning and execution efforts.
An integration management office
Most PMI’s have some kind of Integration Management Office (IMO), working on various workstreams for the integration. But often, these IMOs end up being nothing more than a way to check status without adding any real value. We believe in establishing a cross-functional IMO that’s focused on quickly resolving your most pressing integration issues in an agile way in order to keep things moving smoothly.
How we support you through a post-merger integration
Customizing our approach
We don’t believe in simply checking boxes on a standard plan. You need more than a cookie cutter approach. That’s why we customize our solutions for every client. We bring best practices, years of experience, and trusted frameworks to every problem we help solve and we never say those things are the end-all or be-all. We customize our approach to work best with your culture, your unique situation, and where you are in the process.
Bringing strategy and resolution
We love strategy. It’s something that is always at the forefront of our minds. But strategy is nothing without resolution. While something might work in theory, making it happen in reality is another story. You need to be able to adjust and pivot to the changing tides and winds or you’ll be blown back farther and farther from your goal. Our ability to move between strategy and issue resolution is key to why our clients work with us time and time again.
Becoming part of your team
When we work with you, we are part of your team, collaborating to reach your goal. We get to know your business from the inside out by working side-by-side with your teams. This allows you to focus on what’s most important — helping your people through a time of major change. It’s a huge relief with everything that goes on during an integration to have a true partner and collaborator on your side.
