Do Mergers Ignore Differences to Their Peril?

While merging cultures becomes increasingly urgent, and while firms often unite to tackle turbulent times, it’s also true that not all amalgamations stand up to stifling challenges that follow.

Have you observed merges that left people and profits in the dust?

Lately, I’ve been wondering why so many unions slip off their golden tracks so soon after leaving the gates with a top prize in mind. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Successful mergers include merging different minds, a skill not seen at static worksites where leaders ignore differences. One young leader contacted the MITA Center for advice on a failed merger a few weeks back. This man tried to transport an enviable culture from a top food chain, into a new city setting with unfamiliar staff. It didn’t work.

Unsuccessful mergers follow when leaders miss key differences among people – unique traits that people possess which could add high dividends to any combined effort. When leaders ignore cultural differences they do so at their own peril, as this man did. Still others miss mining diverse intellectual proclivities that could lead to peak performances from many sides of mergers.

Below are 5 brain based questions that open doors to winning mergers:

1. How could cultural differences create a wider merger vision?
2. What top project would enlist more talent from different departments?
3. How could new facilities draw more from people’s multiple intelligences?
4. What can older and younger workers do together to inspire creativity?
5. How can neuro discoveries for gender differences add value to a merger?

Address these five questions with an action plan for each and watch your merger profit in response. How do you combine differences into successful mergers? You’ll know that differences merged together well,  when most workers can say that they speak and feel heard at work.