They often don’t want us
My first merger was a fact. A process of trial and error, learning an incredible amount by doing. And many more followed. Even now at S&L, I have the privilege of being able to guide mergers. And I enjoy doing this. Connecting complementary organizations with each other to create extra opportunities for their target group and their employees.
Because yes, I believe in mergers; even more, I love them! They can give organizations so much more breathing space and ‘clout’ to achieve their mission even better.
But… it also often means painful hardship for your organization and your people, doubt, or for some even failure. Because the merger was not their own choice, the right context was lacking, or the process was not given enough space and time.
Are you wondering whether this would be a good move for your organization? Or are you in the middle of it? Or have you been through an intense merger and are you still suffering from ‘merger pains’? Then be sure to read on.
Rumors and ghosts
So I also find merging difficult. It is hard work. Consciously trying to take steps forward. Running head-on into resistance, often from an unexpected angle. It means slowing down when you really want to speed up. An Echternach procession.
For me, those ‘rumors’ or corridor gossip, for example, are real spoilers. In my eyes, they are often ‘ghosts’ that probably aren’t even there. Such as: They have less expertise in-house, they go much less far for their target group, they have less freedom there, lots of people are leaving there, and also often: their director is even worse than ours. So, an us-versus-them story.
In the early years, I fought against it. I tried to refute them on both sides, tried to present the other side in a good light, to defend the underdog. But this is an impossible task. What seems to work better for me is naming and acknowledging those ‘ghosts’. Above all, listening to the critical voices. Because beneath those rumors, there is often a very valuable undercurrent hidden.
But more is needed to bring a merger to a successful conclusion. I will list a number of important conditions.
7 important conditions for bringing a merger to a successful conclusion
Look before you leap and take a strong story on the road
As an organization, are you allowed to make your own choice regarding structural cooperation, and can you take the necessary time for it? Then you are lucky. Because the exploratory process beforehand is of crucial importance. This lays the foundation for everything that follows.
Make sure you have a strong story: What makes your organization truly unique and attractive to others? What is your DNA that you absolutely want to preserve? How do you see the future? Which organizations are you considering? What are your must-haves and no-gos? Together with your board, draw up an assessment framework with criteria.
The following conditions apply to anyone starting a merger, but they are at least equally important in this preparatory process.
Listen, listen, listen
Have in-depth conversations with people from both organizations to take the temperature. From the inside out. Depending on the context, this can be done individually or in groups, already together or still per organization. Select a diverse mix of people involved in terms of: position, workplace, role, seniority, connection with the past, organization of origin, believers and critical voices.
Discover and appreciate who they are, what drives them in their job, what they are so proud of, what they dream of, but also what keeps them awake at night. In this way, you gain insight into differences and commonalities. Surprisingly often, there are more similarities than expected. You also notice where the water is still very deep and where work often needs to be prioritized.
Acknowledge the roots
A conditio sine qua non in mergers! You can only think ahead if you first acknowledge what was. Take people back to their valuable roots and let them name what they definitely want to carry with them into the merger. Then make time to say goodbye to what they have to leave behind.
Create a 'new club'
It is important to bring people together across the organizations at different levels. Start a core group that forms the steady thread throughout the entire merger process. With representation from both organizations from the board and management, but certainly also with other key figures (manager, volunteer, employee, …). A group of 8 to a maximum of 10 people is ideal. In addition, regularly organize joint board meetings in which you provide feedback.
At least equally important is that, at this early stage, you also let your employees get to know each other. Let them discover, feel and experience each other’s story at informal and more formal moments. Ideal for putting an end to the ‘ghosts’ and rumors that exist. Despite all the resistance, people are always curious to get to know those people ‘on the other side’.
Name opportunities and risks together
Looking for and finding opportunities and risks together is much stronger than having them presented by management.
Some of the most common risks: losing valuable people, straitjackets that undermine the freedom and autonomy that have been built up, Kafkaesque administration, people becoming numbers, lack of trust, too much internal focus causing external opportunities to be missed, …
But mergers also contain many opportunities. No organization is perfect, so a merger can certainly also be an opportunity to definitively leave behind the rough edges of your own organization. Mergers often create growth opportunities for employees, a broader offering for clients, optimization of systems, expansion of knowledge and expertise, more external clout vis-à-vis government, increased attractiveness for partners and referrers, … And unfortunately, sometimes the only option to survive. .
Here too, give space to taboos to avoid an obstructive undercurrent.
Towards a new common goal and strategy for the merged organization
Of all the conditions, this is the most extensive and crucial for making the merger truly succeed and endure. Building a collective vision together with the mixed core group of what the new merged organization should become (common goal) and then a strong strategy requires a great deal of time and energy. The core group builds the common goal, the desired impact, the target group/customers, and new partnerships for the new merged organization, taking into account external factors and internal levers. Culminating in a new structure and culture. Important issues here are often: a strong legal basis, the way of steering (central/decentral), leadership(style), target group choices, role as an organization, autonomy within connection, unity in diversity.
Give yourself and your organization time and space
Do not expect a merger to be settled within a year. This takes time and space. For everyone. A year of preparation and paving the way is certainly not an unnecessary luxury. It often takes 3 to 4 years before you can truly speak of a unified organization. As long as you continue to put enough momentum and energy into it. Together.
Also have questions or doubts about mergers and how you can approach this?
Feel free to contact me, with no obligation, to briefly spar about this:
email: charlotte.delbeke@s-l-impact.com
Phone: 0499/521054
