Come Together: the people side of merging cultures
Come Together is a one day workshop designed to help recently merged organisations or business units work more effectively together. It enables organisations to quickly overcome any initial transitional problems and capitalise on the best aspects of each culture.
Overview
Mergers and acquisitions are a common business strategy. One business unit acquires another to strengthen itself in the marketplace. However, in the midst of financial and operational goals two (or more) different groups of people now need to find a way to work together effectively.
Come Together targets the people aspect of the merger process and addresses the behaviours that prevent your merged cultures from working together productively. In doing this you’ll be able to capitalise on the contributions of all parties and move forward as one integrated organisation.
The Come together workshop will enable your organisation to:
- Quickly overcome any initial interpersonal or ‘teething’ problems that are the result of the merger.
- Really explore the ‘best of both’ cultures and integrate these into your ‘new’ culture.
- Shift the responsibility for the success of the merger to all persons involved, not just senior management.
Additionally, this workshop will give your participants the following benefits:
- Provides a chance for self reflection and awareness for their contribution to the success or failure of the merger process.
- A chance to really get to know their ‘new’ colleagues.
- Be strategically involved in the merger process.
- Reach a better understanding and appreciation of the ‘other’ culture and their ability to interact during the process of merging cultures.
How Does It Work?
This workshop revolves around your participants understanding the role of dominance and the dominant culture. The dominant culture is the ‘way it has always been’. It has its own ‘rules’ (generally unaware and unspoken) regarding what is acceptable. Into this culture come the ‘others’ with their own ‘rules’.
The centrepiece is a dynamic simulation where your participants become ‘dominant’ and ‘other’ and play out the merger process. They experience, from both perspectives, the feelings and emotions involved in coming together.
Combine this (the simulation) with intervals of solid theory, reflection and leadership strategies and you have a powerful intervention that enables your participants to get the ideas out of their heads and into reality.
The simulation sets the tone for a robust session where your newly merged business units explore how they can move forward together as a united culture that utilises the best aspects of each party.
For more information about the Come Together Leadership Development Programme:
How is it Different?
Unique Focus
Come Together is unique Leadership Development experience because it deals with the merger process at a systemic level, not just from a financial or operational perspective which is where most mergers and acquisitions are focused. Dealing with your merger in this way means no costly shifting of personnel or resources. It’s simply about getting your people to master the conditions of the unique system in which they find themselves.
Not a Role Play
The exercises are not role-plays. Participants are in a live simulation where they experience, first hand, the merger process from all perspectives. Their experiences so closely mirror their day-to-day work lives that there is backing away from their reality.
Various Applications
The use of this Leadership Development Programme is not confined to large scale mergers or acquisitions. You can use it for recently merged internal departments or teams or even to deal with the entry of increasingly diverse populations into the workforce.
What Next?
If you would like more information about the Come Together Leadership Programme and how it could benefit your organisation simply:
Or phone us now on:
+61 2 9905 5535
One of our team will be able to answer your questions and you can arrange an obligation free meeting with one of our consultants.
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What Others Say
I can not speak highly enough of Paul’s performance in helping us to get on the path of success with
our merge. The feedback from the entire team was extremely positive. Even the most cynical were
convinced.
Paul delivers all of this while making it easy and fun for everyone. It is a real pleasure to work with him.
Allain Moffroid, Ex Business Director - Out of Home, Unilever Australasia
Come Together gave the leadership team the opportunity to acknowledge and discuss our experience
as two organisations learning to work together. The simulation set the scene for a robust Q&A session
that unearthed some great questions and insights for the leaders of our business. As an experience we
gained a broader appreciation of how it feels to ‘stand in another’s shoes’. We are certainly a more
united team as a result of the experience.
Mark Milliner, Group Executive - Commercial Insurance, Suncorp
We were attempting to merge two marketing teams following a recent acquisition, when we decided to
commission the help of The Human Enterprise. We felt the teams were largely working in silos and
therefore were unable to maximise the synergistic opportunities and operate as one team with one
direction. Already we have seen a noticeable difference in the tone and participation at the marketing
meetings and consistently more shared learning’s and socialising across the team.
Jenny Shortall, Marketing Director, Reckitt Benckiser
