How can you help leaders maintain focus during a merger or acquisition?

I have gone through a few mergers through out my career as a leader at two major firms. Durning the transition from old to new, I focused on the individuals I worked with. I would have conversations with as many people as possible during the day. I listened to their concerns, to let them express what they were feeling and ask them to give the transition some time and see how changes affect our day to day operations. In the meantime I would do my research on the new leadership team, their past actions and learn as much as I could. The best advice I have been told, was “Keep your head down, do your job and take care of the people you work with.

Aligning with the overarching vision and goals during a merger or acquisition is vital for maintaining leadership focus. I facilitate this alignment by encouraging open dialogue and mutual understanding among leadership teams. This process not only clarifies individual roles within the new organizational structure but also reinforces a collective commitment to shared objectives, fostering a united front that drives successful integration and synergy.

1. Recognise that mergers and acquisitions can evoke feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear among employees and leaders alike. Encourage leaders to acknowledge and validate these emotions, both in themselves and in their teams. 2. Help leaders set realistic expectations about the merger or acquisition process and its potential impact on the organisation, its culture, and its people. Encourage them to communicate clear timelines, milestones, and objectives to help alleviate uncertainty and foster a sense of direction. 3. Model the behaviours and attitudes you wish to see in leaders, showing them that it's possible to maintain focus and effectiveness even amidst uncertainty and disruption.

During mergers or acquisitions, the whirlwind of emotions leaders experience can significantly cloud judgment and focus. I assist in navigating these emotional landscapes, offering a confidential space to voice concerns and anxieties. This emotional clarity is pivotal, as it allows leaders to engage in the process more rationally and constructively, maintaining their focus on strategic priorities.

For many leaders it feels like they’re selling their baby, or merging families. The emotional impact of A&M should not be underestimated. One of best practices that can help during a high stress period like this is a daily mindfulness practice. It’s only then with that increased awareness can a leader evaluate whether their leadership style is being compromised by the acquisition or merger.

M&A’s can be a chaotic, and goals change frequently. Facilitated dialogues can establish more buy-in. It might also help the leaders find more allies and influencers who can scale their vision.

Ensure that leaders fully understand the vision and strategic goals behind the merger or acquisition. This understanding enables them to communicate the purpose, benefits, and expected outcomes of the M&A to their teams clearly and convincingly. Help leaders to identify how their team's work and individual goals align with the broader objectives of the M&A. Encourage leaders to foster a positive narrative around the M&A.

When there is M&A, it is not the process between two companies but it's a merger with the leaders of both the companies. Thus, there would be stress, irritation, frustration, ego wars, position/power conflicts etc.., that is why few leading MNCs hire coaches who can take this process professionally. The conflicts are handled with care, healthy debates happen & finally everyone will be tuned in to the larger vision & goal. Thus, when there is M&A, there should be coaches as well to handle the process at ease.

M&A creates varied challenges, but with an executive coach in the equation, alignment of personal purpose, vision and goal to life to that of the end product of the M&A can inspire, motivate and breed innovation required for leadership to thrive the VUCA of the process One of the core benefits of coaching is the co-creation of possibilities and co-sharing in failure and success to lessen the burden. This is key for businesses during M&A

In Fusionen und übernahmen ist Fokus alles. Als Führungskraft ist es entscheidend, sich an transparenten Zielen zu orientieren und dem Team eine klare, verst?ndliche Vision zu vermitteln. - Nutzen Sie Ziele als Norden für Ihren #Entscheidungskompass und kommunizieren Sie intensiv, um Verst?ndnis zu schaffen. - Etablieren Sie eine Kultur des offenen Dialogs, f?rdern Sie Vertrauen durch regelm??iges Feedback und definieren Sie Rollen klar. #PsychologischeSicherheit - Schaffen Sie Strukturen - bei Bedarf aber flexibel. - Z.B. jeden Freitag eine kleine Retro mit Fokus auf die Transformation: HighLight, LowLight, Ausblick - reicht schon ;) So navigieren Sie Ihr Team erfolgreich durch den Wandel. #Führung #M&A #Vision #Ziele #Kommunikation

As an executive communications leader turned leadership coach, here are some questions to consider: - What’s the why behind the merger or acquisition? - What do you know about the audience you’re leading (and thus communicating with)? Who are they? Team members, colleagues, clients, your own leaders, etc - What will each audience need to know? How will you include them in the integration process? - What do you feel comfortable communicating vs not? How will that evolve over time? - How has your leadership evolved to prepare you and your teams for change?

Communication is the key for any M&A. If there is no clarity then there is no progress. Here leaders should come into a mutual agreement that the conversation would be agenda based & constructive. No ego wars & no personal attacks will be encouraged. If the communication is set properly, matured leaders will fall in place for the bigger goal & here the coach would really add more value if he/she is also present in the meeting so that navigation can be done in a better way.

As an Ontological executive-leadership coach, languaging, which is the heartbeat of corporate culture (written & unwritten), is one factor not to be underestimated in facilitating effective communication Challenges and problems are pregnant in languaging that shape the holistic being of the entire business Trust, safe space, well-being and inspiration live in languaging through effective communication It is the hub for creativity, conflict resolution, and recognition

In den wilden M&A-Zeiten ist Change-Kommunikation für Leader unerl?sslich. Das hei?t aktiv zuh?ren, MA verstehen wollen und Empathie zu zeigen. Dies hilft, Missverst?ndnisse aufzudecken und baut Vertrauen auf - super wichtig im Change! Transparente Kommunikation schafft Vertrauen und gibt allen Beteiligten – Mitarbeitern, Kunden, Lieferanten – Sicherheit und Orientierung. - Ein offenes Ohr für Bedenken und die F?higkeit, sich in die Lage anderer zu versetzen, sind entscheidend, um Glaubwürdigkeit und Commitment der Teams zu f?rdern. Ein Executive Coach unterstützt dabei, Botschaften klar und konsistent zu gestalten, um die Ziele und den Mehrwert der Ver?nderungen zu vermitteln. #Leadership #ChangeManagement #AktivesZuh?ren

When M&A happens they think from both short term & long term. Here the goals are set just to balance the insecurities & fears of people who are working in those organisations so that when they are working towards a common objective, the normalisation will happen. Here small celebrations have to happen, learning across all parameters should be validated & guidance from well established coaches gives the management double booster for marching forward progressively.

Short-term and Long-term goals are perceptions which can be supported through coaching to be embodied and envisioned at the personal level to own a part of the journey on M&A Coaching will allow the human resources to plan and recraft their lives within the terms

In M&A sollte es in der Führung eine Balance zwischen Kurz- & Langfristigkeit geben: - Ambidextrie, das gleichzeitige Ausbalancieren von Erneuerung & Effizienz, wird zum Schlüsselkonzept. - Führungskr?fte sollten ermutigt werden, neue Ans?tze auszuprobieren, w?hrend bew?hrte Strukturen erhalten bleiben. - Klare QuickWins müssen definiert & messbar gemacht werden, um sichtbare Erfolge zu feiern und zu motivieren. Dies schafft eine Kultur, in der Innovation & Best?ndigkeit Hand in Hand gehen. Klarheit in der Kommunikation, Empathie für Missverst?ndnisse & aktives Zuh?ren sind dabei unerl?sslich. So gelingt es, das Dringende mit dem Wichtigen in Einklang zu bringen & den Fokus aufrechtzuerhalten. #Führungskr?fte #Ambidextrie #QuickWins

In the demanding landscape of M&A, executives benefit greatly from a designated safe space for introspection. Providing a non-judgmental environment allows leaders to freely articulate their thoughts, facilitating a return to focus and composure. Beyond specific tools, acknowledging the profound value of such spaces in processing and reflecting on the legacy they aim to build is paramount for effective leadership during these high-pressure times.

Executive coaching in self is a support intervention and a great way to seek it. It widens your view of possibilities and challenges to aid coachees and their worldviews and perceptions. Coaching stimulates the need for masterminds with shared grounds and interest

VISUALS! Make everything visual - use those visuals as touchstones during the entire M&A (ie change & transformation, transition process). Make the visuals easy to read, representing KPIs, joyful moments, moments of achievement and as trackers to ensure timelines are met, while also celebrating the culture shifting.

In M&A, leaders may find themselves acquiring or being acquired, both scenarios benefiting from executive coaching. Coaches provide practical support guiding leaders on how to prioritize tasks, manage time, & set goals aligned with both companies' objectives, whether preserving their organization's culture or adapting to a new one. For example, a coach might help a leader develop a comprehensive integration plan that addresses cultural differences & ensures a smooth transition for all employees. They assist in navigating complexities of integration, helping leaders balance legacies & strengths, fostering resilience, & overcoming challenges. With coaching, leaders can effectively integrate while focusing on organizational effectiveness.

M&A is not a small event. It could have been a year or two long, from the complete planning to execution. During this phase there could be some setbacks. Few could be resolved internally with technical support but few need some expert Intervention. If the expert is a business coach or an executive coach, she/he would navigate the process in a patterned way & the leaders can move with strategic plans & the progress looks more competitive & these competent leaders will handle it with care & ease.