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In M&A Integrations, Assessment Can Enable Long-Term Success

Gaining the benefits and synergies of a merger or acquisition requires integrating two companies’ processes and systems and blending workforces and their cultures. You want to move quickly to gain efficiencies, but you probably also need to maintain day-to-day operations and serve customers.

M&A integrations are challenging even for companies with experience. When things aren’t going smoothly, the cause (strategy misalignment, culture differences, conflicting KPIs, poor communication?) might not be obvious.

Don’t Push Forward Before Stepping Back

Pausing to take stock of the situation is often the only way to uncover root issues so you can get things back on track. A deliberate and thorough assessment is critical. Why?

  • You can’t fix what you can’t see. If you can’t identify what’s really broken, you risk solving the wrong problems or treating symptoms instead of root causes.
  • Reassessing provides an opportunity to realign on priorities, clarify decisions, and reset expectations. This is a case where slowing down can help you speed up.
  • It can build credibility and trust when the organization sees leaders thoughtfully listening and recalibrating, especially when the two companies do so together.

Make Sure You’re Really on Track

Even if things seem to be going smoothly, it’s still wise for M&A integration leaders to pause and assess. Early enthusiasm or a desire to show success might be hiding overextended resources or staff withholding information that might put their team or job at risk. If progress is quick, is it possible that important long-term integration steps are being skipped? An early course correction is much easier than trying to recover after several months of unintended drift.

And, again, when leaders pause, even in good times, to evaluate how they are doing and invite honest feedback, it sets a tone of thoughtful leadership, cohesion, and continuous improvement.

Take 15 Minutes to Get Started

Whether you’re in the early stages of an M&A integration or well into execution, a thorough assessment can help you reflect on your current practices and see ways to improve.

Integrated Project Management Company (IPM) offers an assessment tool that covers key areas like strategy alignment, governance, culture, and communication and provides instant feedback along the way. Your responses will help you identify strengths, highlight risks, and consider next steps toward a successful integration.

Start your M&A Integration Maturity Assessment.

 

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