Merging Organizational Cultures

Along the way, many questions arise:

Who will have authority in the new firm?
Who gets the corner office?
What if a staff member is used to being virtual, but now has to work in house?
Who will be eliminated and how will that be handled to gain the trust of the others that remain?
Will authority be shifted so that I have to now work under a new boss when I really like my old boss?
Will cliques develop among ‘ours’ and ‘theirs’?
How can we talk in terms of one large organization, have shared goals, grow to understand and like each other? Is the management philosophy the same?
If I’m coming from a smaller quick decision making firm, can I tolerate a slower decision making process, more layers of people to handle and delegate tasks, more people to educate? Can I transition my clients to this operating style?
Can I get used to the interruptive style of the new managing partner or principal when I ‘m not used to it?
Can a laidback office merge with a frenzied fast paced office?
Can a young team merge comfortably into a significantly older team?

The time to ask these questions is during the due diligence period before the decision to sign on the dotted line. We can facilitate exercises and discussions, behavioral assessments that spark conversations about communication, optimal work environments, etc. We can help draw out people’s motivations so understanding can develop.

What if you’ve already signed on the dotted line? Let the team building begin! We’ll do exercises and have discussions that bring people together and forge understanding at every level of the organization.

This can be done in a series of workshops or on an out-of-the-office retreat.