How do you combine different units to create a stronger organization?

1 Assess your current situation

Before you decide to merge or restructure your units, you need to understand your current situation and the reasons for change. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each unit? How do they align with your vision, mission, and values? What are the gaps and overlaps in their roles and responsibilities? How do they communicate and collaborate with each other and with external stakeholders? Conducting a thorough analysis of your current state will help you identify the opportunities and challenges of combining units, and the potential impact on your performance and culture.

2 Define your desired state

Once you have a clear picture of your current situation, you need to define your desired state and the objectives of combining units. What are the benefits and outcomes you expect from the change? How will you measure and evaluate them? What are the new roles and responsibilities of the combined units? How will they interact and coordinate with each other and with other parts of the organization? How will you align them with your strategic direction and values? Defining your desired state will help you create a shared vision and a clear roadmap for the change.

3 Choose the best combination method

When it comes to combining units, there are various methods to consider, depending on the desired level and type of integration. Merger, acquisition, and alliance are some of the common approaches. Merger involves combining two or more units into one new unit with a new identity and structure. This is suitable for units with similar or complementary functions, goals, and cultures that want to create synergies and efficiencies. Acquisition involves one unit taking over another unit and absorbing its resources, functions, and identity. This is ideal for units with different or competing functions, goals, and cultures that want to gain market share or eliminate rivalry. Alliance involves two or more units forming a partnership or a joint venture while retaining their own names, structures, and identities. This is beneficial for units with distinct or diverse functions, goals, and cultures that want to leverage each other's strengths and capabilities. Each method has its own pros and cons; thus, careful planning and execution is necessary in order to choose the method that best fits your situation, objectives, and culture.

4 Communicate and engage your stakeholders

Combining units is a major change that affects not only the units involved, but also the rest of the organization and external stakeholders. Therefore, it is imperative to communicate and engage your stakeholders throughout the process, and address their concerns and expectations. To do this, you need to clearly communicate the rationale, objectives, roles, responsibilities, timeline, milestones, deliverables and expectations of the change. Additionally, you should solicit feedback from your stakeholders during the design and implementation stages of the change. Furthermore, provide them with training and support for learning and development. Finally, celebrate and recognize their contributions to ensure a smooth transition. Communication and engagement are essential for building trust, commitment, and collaboration among your stakeholders.

5 Monitor and evaluate your results

Combining units is an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring and evaluation. You need to track and measure your results, and compare them with your objectives and expectations. Additionally, you must identify and address any issues or challenges that arise, while making adjustments as needed. Some key questions to ask are: Are the combined units performing as expected? Are they aligned with the organization's strategy and values? Are they collaborating and communicating effectively? Are they adapting and innovating? Are they learning and growing? Monitoring and evaluating your results will help you assess the effectiveness of your unit combination strategy, ensuring its sustainability and improvement. Combining units is a complex task, but with these tips you can design a successful unit combination strategy, achieving your strategic goals and fostering a collaborative culture .

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?