Quick. Your company is about to be bought. Or merged. Or otherwise smashed together with a group of strangers. What’s your first thought? Jennifer talks with TJ Bennett and breaks down how companies can avoid the common pitfalls of mergers, acquisitions and large-scale transitions. Read the full transcript here.
Jennifer joined Russel Lolacher to talk about how to ease the pain of mergers and acquisitions. See the full transcript here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Mergers and acquisition complexities and challenges.
First hand employee experience during a M&A.
The importance of effective and adaptive leadership during M&A.
The critical role of communication.
How early involvement of frontline leaders is crucial.
Steps to overcome an “us vs them’ mentality.
“Leaders need to be better prepared for what happens to people in times of change and uncertainty… You need to allow people to adapt to that, but you also need to prepare your leaders for how to lead people when they’re dealing with a whole new process, potentially.”
Jennifer recently spoke with Ana Melikian, Ph.D., of Mindset Zone. They discuss the importance of drawing upon unique talents, directing effort wisely, and adopting an appropriate attitude. Ana emphasizes the need for mental fitness, and Jennifer reinforces how crucial it is to identify what one can control in uncertain environments.
In this insightful episode, Anirvan Sen and Jennifer dive deep into the often-overlooked aspect of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) – organizational culture.
Jennifer elucidates how the neglect of cultural assessment during the initial due diligence process can potentially unravel surprising challenges post-deal. By drawing parallels from her personal experiences, Jennifer narrates how her American B2B company’s acquisition by a European B2C company exposed stark differences in organizational cultures, proving the significance of cultural considerations in M&A.
Taking us through her journey, Jennifer shares the inspiration behind her book, “NOW WHAT?: A Survivor’s Guide for Thriving Through Mergers & Acquisitions.” The book delves into the experiences and transformations of ten personas during M&A transitions, offering invaluable guidance for navigating such changes.
Listen in as we unravel the role of culture in M&A, and why it needs to be at the forefront of any successful merger or acquisition. This episode is a must-listen for anyone involved in M&A or those looking to understand the intricacies of organizational culture in such scenarios.
It’s tempting to focus primarily on the transactional side of the deal; but there’s also an emotional journey post-acquisition that can impact success of the deal. Knowing what to look for can help you and your organization thrive despite the uncertainty and challenges of the transition. Thriving Through M&A starts at the top.
How Jennifer’s experiences led her to write her book
Exploring some of the tongue-in-cheek “Personas” that Jennifer says can emerge at any level of an organization during an M&A transformation, and how they can affect success
The importance of top leaders’ awareness of these dynamics in successfully leading others through integration
Immediately useful ideas for leading to thrive through M&A, starting at the top
The people you thought you knew can show a different side of themselves when they’re uncertain of the future. (Jennifer J Fondrevay)
On this episode of Destination on the Left, Jennifer talks with Nicole Mahoney about navigating uncertainty and embracing transformation. Jennifer shares best practices for entering into a partnership and explores the similarities between M&A and collaboration and how the principles and processes of both can be applied to achieve success in any transformational journey.
What You Will Learn in this Episode:
What happens when you bring two cultures together after a merger, and how to avoid some of the typical challenges
Why it’s critical to be intentional about your values when planning a partnership
The importance of getting past your ego when making key decisions
Why you have to ensure that customer experience is your North Star to maximize a collaboration’s success
Jennifer shares her wisdom for leaders and teams looking to navigate the complexities of mergers and acquisitions
Helping Partnerships Thrive
Jennifer shares valuable insights for leaders and their teams considering a merger or acquisition, emphasizing the importance of respect for the other company. Drawing on the analogy of a successful marriage, Jennifer highlights that partnerships thrive on both sides bringing out the best in each other and recognizing the value each brings to the partnership.
She stresses the need for humility and respect when entering into a partnership and cautions against letting ego drive decision-making, which can lead to unsuccessful deals. Jennifer’s advice is a must-listen for anyone looking to enter into a successful partnership.
Finding Your North Star
On the podcast, we discuss the importance of being intentional and self-aware of your value when entering into a merger or acquisition. She emphasizes the need to keep the customer at the forefront of any decision-making process, using the example of a successful acquisition where a junior product manager reminded the team to focus on the customer’s needs rather than their own egos.
Jennifer highlights that keeping the customer as the North Star can help diminish the impact of ego in business and keep teams focused on the true reason for their work. She has some great golden nuggets of wisdom that provide valuable guidance for leaders and teams looking to navigate the complexities of mergers and acquisitions.
Unique Opportunities
Jennifer emphasizes the importance of the people piece in M&A; she says that there is no specific playbook for these types of deals, as each one has its unique opportunities and challenges. However, she encourages people to be intentional and contribute to the evolution of their organization.
Jennifer suggests bringing your particular skills to the partnership, embracing uncertainty, and looking for new opportunities. She also talks about the importance of collaboration, letting go of old ways, and contributing to the new vision.
Jennifer joins Timothy Hughes on #TimTalk to dive into mergers and acquisitions and how you can survive if you get caught up in one.
In her book “Now What – A survivor’s guide for thriving through mergers and acquisitions” she talks about the fact that M&A happen, you can be going along nicely in your career and then you get hit with the change and upheaval that M&A provides. So, what will you do?
They also discuss the 5 stages of grief that people go through from denial to acceptance and the stages in between, and the post-M&A characters you will come across.
Everyone wants to create a good image at work, but your efforts can come across as disingenuous if you’re not careful. It can be difficult to promote yourself more without looking like a suck up.
Jennifer was the featured expert in this piece, noting that “Your goal is to exhibit what you are capable of, the contributions and value add that you bring.”
