This post is Part 3 of a three-part series of posts dedicated to the integration process of M&A. In this series, we explore eight core steps that, when approached with intent, drive a higher likelihood of success. In Part 1, we explored the aspects that help you prepare for the journey ahead: Introduction Success Factor 1: Achieve clarity in purpose, direction and vision Success Factor 2: Building bridges! In Part 2, we focused on guiding you to build a plan of action with cr

In Part 1, we explored the aspects that help you prepare for the journey ahead: Introduction Success Factor 1: Achieve clarity in purpose, direction and vision Success Factor 2: Building bridges! In Part 2 (this post), we focus on guiding you to build a plan of action with cross-functional engagement: Success Factor 3: Prepare your own business for the effort needed Success Factor 4: Manage risk and warning signs with intent! Success Factor 5: Proactively use the time interva

Introduction In M&A transactions, achieving a successful post-deal integration between the Acquirer and Target represents 49% of the concerns cited by CFOs and Boards globally. This concern is mainly driven by the unpredictability of cultural fit, driving a higher risk to reach the desired outcomes such as service differentiation, cost-synergies or economies-of-scale efficiencies modelled out as the part of the business case behind the acquisition. Make no mistake. Once a dea

As people, our natural tendency is to put off painful tasks or delay making that annoying or painful call such as: Turning down a person's idea Encouraging an employee to improve their performance Resolving conflict between two or more employees Sharing criticism Terminating a position Telling investors your business is losing money Asking vendors for new rates or invoice payment terms Our tendency to "procrastinate" doubles when the call involves dealing with person-to-perso

A hard truth of product life cycles...life happens. Software solutions/products are sunset, discontinued, retired, put into End of Service (EOS), End of Availability (EOA) or in End-Of-Life (EOL) state for a variety of reasons, including: The natural progression of the product life cycle leading to new versions being released Revision of strategic positioning/product direction Revenue generation not to expected levels Profitability not to expected or required levels Growth no

Both Product Management and Project Management act as a form of communication glue between the various departments in a company, including executive, engineering, sales, marketing, user experience, operations, back-office etc. As companies grow, CEOs and company owners delegate strategic & communication functions towards Product Managers to deal with the various aspects of planning, communication, scope, budget, risks, issues, quality, research etc. Product Managers come from