Mayday! Mayday! The Top 10 Distress Signals in Merger Integration

Nobody in their right mind expects merger integration to be a trouble-free process.  Simply put, combining organizations is a scratchy drill.  In my 30+ years of experience I’ve never witnessed a zero-defects integration and, in fact, trying to get it perfect can be one of the biggest mistakes of all.

So, the question is, how can you discern the “normal” problems from the warning signs that signal major risk?  What should scare you the most?

Here’s a checklist of the top ten danger signs that indicate serious trouble:
 

 Key people are leaving.

 You’re not hitting the numbers.

 Top management is holed up in the executive bunker.

 Communication starts drying up.

 People are focused on internal politics and issues instead of your customers.

 You’re losing clients.

 There’s confusion regarding corporate strategy and direction.

 The integration process is sluggish and losing momentum.

 Management is scattered due to a poor sense of priorities.

 Competitors are closing in.
 

Take a hard look at your merger and make a check mark by the critical distress signals that are surfacing in your organization. 

Keep in mind, these problems feed on one another.  And as the saying goes, “Disaster accelerates.”  Turning around a troubled integration gets tough, and any three check marks mean your merger needs triage. 

Get help.