Towersperrin - 09 - The Importance of Leadership and Culture To M&a Success
Towersperrin - 09 - The Importance of Leadership and Culture To M&a Success
Towersperrin - 09 - The Importance of Leadership and Culture To M&a Success
1
embodies the business strategy of the new
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY combined organization.
The number of mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
continues to increase, with a worldwide 2006 deal
TRENDS IN M&As
volume of 30,000 breaking the previous record set M&A volumes reached roughly US$4 trillion in
during the dotcom boom. All indications are that this 2006, eclipsing by a wide margin the previous
high level of M&A activity will continue in 2007 and record of approximately US$3.3 trillion set in
beyond. In the past, M&As frequently led to disap- 2000. The United States was the most tar-
pointing results in the form of decreased shareholder geted country for acquisitions, representing
value. By contrast, today’s deals are enjoying approximately 40% of global M&A activity. As
greater success at increasing shareholder value, of late December 2006, the value of European
with medium-sized deals often outperforming M&A deals was US$1.4 trillion, also surpass-
larger ones. ing the previous record set in 1999, with the
U.K. the most targeted country. According to
It’s hard to argue with the notion that company Towers Perrin’s Global Change Management
leaders play a vital role in successful mergers Leader, Mark Arian, “We are at the beginning
and acquisitions. As an example, good leaders can rather than the end of the wave because
be especially adept at overcoming disruptions in organizations have gotten better at doing
accepted ways of doing things and at aligning M&A, which in turn has generated still more
organizational cultures that may be very different M&A activity.”
between the merging organizations — both key
people-oriented challenges that companies face CHALLENGES FACED BY MERGED
during an M&A. ORGANIZATIONS
Mergers and acquisitions almost always
But until now, few frameworks have been available
involve some level of transformational change
for assessing how leaders impact M&A success. But
and disruption, according to Towers Perrin
recent Towers Perrin research, coupled with experi-
Senior Consultant Clair Olson. Successful
ence with more than 400 mergers in 2006 alone,
post-merger integration demands significant
points to specific leadership characteristics that
change on the part of both the acquiring
foster successful M&As, such as leaders who:
and the acquired organization. The acquirer
set the right priorities and create positive busi- creates boundary disruptions — changes in
ness momentum and discipline stated goals, strategies, ways of doing things
imbue employees with the necessary level of and customs. The acquirer also must deploy
commitment, engagement, confidence and control mechanisms to manage transforma-
comfort to work through difficult transitions tional change and achieve the strategic goals
inspire a sense of purpose, coherence, commu- that drove the M&A in the first place. For its
nity and trust that allows employees to remain part, the acquired organization must overcome
focused and highly engaged on the job. any anxieties about being “absorbed” and
learn to integrate itself into new corporate
A recognized, respected leader assuming a promi-
procedures and values. In short, a process
nent, visible role can be a comforting anchor during
of mutual adjustments and acculturation
a turbulent sea of change. Such leaders can be
must take place for post-merger integration
instrumental in creating a shared culture that
to succeed.
2
CULTURE — that between 80% and 90% of employee
THE ORGANIZATIONAL DNA behavior is determined by the way leaders
Anthropologists and experts in organizational behav- attend to these factors.
ior use the concept of “culture” to describe how
Other important dimensions of a corporate
members of groups understand their world and their
culture include an organization’s:
place in it. Arian explains that organizational culture
can best be thought of as “the pattern of actions, criteria for employee recruitment, promo-
words, beliefs and behaviors that members of a tion, retirement and exit
business organization share,” sometimes referred formal and informal ways of socialization
to as the organization’s DNA. Because the human recurrent systems and procedures
capital element is such a large part of any M&A,
organizational design and structure
fostering a positive DNA — one that encourages
design of physical spaces
employee engagement in the business and encour-
stories and myths about key people and
ages flexibility during times of change — is difficult to
events, and
get right. “Nevertheless,” says Arian, “it’s of great
importance since it produces rules of behavior within formal statements, charters, creeds and
the new organization.” codes of ethics.
3
among national cultures that upset organizational mergers and acquisitions has a significant
practices. And sometimes differences in national impact on how employees of both organiza-
culture can be used as an excuse when inappro- tions react and promote a sense of community
priate behavior occurs in the organization. and purpose. Positive employee perception
of leaders is crucial to successful change.
At the organizational level, culture is shaped by Employees want to believe that leadership
national cultural characteristics; it is also based on cares about them. When employees are con-
business drivers — what the organization seeks vinced that leaders genuinely do care about
to achieve. Finally, at the individual employee them, they become more open and willing to
level, organizational culture influences what is make necessary transitions, says Arian.
perceived to matter and the actions individuals
take accordingly. And companies that foster a high degree of
leadership visibility and involvement during
ADDRESSING ORGANIZATIONAL M&As instill a supportive organizational culture
CULTURE IN M&As with a better than average chance of success,
Culture was ranked as the most challenging “people” Olson adds. Leaders set the priorities and
issue in M&As according to respondents to a 2004 create the positive business momentum and
Towers Perrin survey whose organizations had com- discipline required during M&As. They instill
pleted at least one M&A deal during the past three in employees the necessary level of commit-
years. Particularly challenging was achieving suc- ment, engagement, confidence and comfort to
cessful alignment between old and new organiza- work through difficult transitions. Leaders, who
tional cultures. This was followed, in order, by by their statements and actions inspire a
effective leadership from the top; a well-executed shared sense of purpose, coherence, commu-
employee communication program; integrating nity and trust, enable employees to focus and
benefits, pay and other rewards programs on a to remain highly engaged during M&As and
global basis; and correct selection of the top post-merger integration.
management team.
Establishing and sustaining cultural alignment
LEADERS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE during the first 100 days is particularly impor-
IN M&As tant, says Arian, in shaping the newly formed
The greater the frequency and magnitude of change, organizational culture and employee percep-
the more important leadership and culture become. tions of it. Leadership intervention is “a critical
“Leadership holds it all together,” says Arian. “It is a symbol” of the new organizational culture,
make or break function.” adds Olson.
4
ALIGNING STRATEGY, In mergers and acquisitions, leadership
LEADERSHIP AND CULTURE creates and drives the combined organiza-
Placing leaders into the correct roles and ensuring tion’s culture — the organizational DNA. It is
a fit between leadership and the desired organiza- the “forcing function” of a new organizational
tional culture and business strategy is another key culture, says Arian. “Leaders’ actions, words,
priority in M&A integration, Arian and Olson point beliefs and behaviors need to be acknowl-
out. It is very important to engage and develop new edged and understood at three levels:
leaders early in the integration process, through national, organizational and individual,” adds
executive coaching, ongoing feedback and through Olson. M&As are more successful than in the
formal onboarding activities. Properly engaged lead- past in part because of greater attention being
ers will be able to focus on three key areas of a paid to leadership’s role in organizational cul-
merger and acquisition: ture creation, and are now creating, rather
than destroying, shareholder value. Compa-
Due Diligence (leadership research)
nies can increase the success of M&A deals
Integration Preparation (leadership strategy, by focusing on aligning leadership “fit” and
assessment and selection) actions with organizational cultures and
Integration (executive onboarding). business strategy. The examples of GE’s
acquisition of Marquette Medical Systems
CONCLUSION and Prudential Financial acquiring CIGNA
Corporation’s retirement business show
Success in aligning strategy, leadership and organi- two highly successful M&As in which the
zational culture(s) can lead to profitable growth after active involvement and visibility of leadership
a merger or acquisition. Effective leaders who instill created the conditions for measurable busi-
a new organizational culture and values in their HR ness success. (See Case Studies on page 6.)
program design and internal and external communi -
cations can engage employees to deliver the brand
promise to customers, shareholders and the com-
munity, in turn leading to profitable business growth.
5
CASE STUDIES OF TWO SUCCESSFUL M&As
6
PRESENTERS He transferred to the U.K. in 2004 after spend-
ing four years in Japan where he was Client
Mark Arian, Global Change Management Leader, Management Practice Leader-Asia, establish-
Towers Perrin ing the client management practice and M&A
Mark Arian is the Global Change Management network for a global human resource consult-
Leader for Towers Perrin. Prior to joining Towers ing firm. Prior experience includes Japanese
Perrin, Mark was the co-leader of the Solutions business unit head in San Francisco for a
& Strategies team (the Consulting R&D function) large multinational financial firm and industrial
and the Global Leader for Corporate Restructuring market research and consulting in Japan and
and Change (CRC) for a large consulting and out- the U.S. Consulting activities included risk
sourcing company. Mark has conceived and led the management, strategic alliance facilitation,
development of unique, outcome-based frameworks, Mergers & Acquisitions due diligence and
diagnostics, and tools that address critical people implementation, and intercultural organization
issues in business transformations. He has devel- assimilation projects. He has authored Japan
oped long-term partner relationships with clients that market studies and business guides for publi-
accelerate the development of a committed, produc- cation, and various M&A-related articles.
tive workforce capable of achieving clients’ growth
and synergy targets following business transforma- Clair attended Sophia University in Tokyo as a
tion initiatives. Mark is a frequent speaker on busi- study abroad student focusing on Japanese
ness transformation and merger integration topics. language, sociology, and history. He holds a
He recently was the lead speaker at the American B.A. from the University of Utah and is an MSc
Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and co- candidate studying Organizational Behaviour
chaired a National Foreign Trade Council Sympo- at The University of London’s Birkbeck Col-
sium on People Issues in Global Mergers and lege. He is fluent in English and Japanese.
Acquisitions. Mark is an attorney and a member
of the Bar of the State of New York and the District EXPERT ADVISORY PANELISTS
of Columbia. He earned a B.A. degree from Duke
University (summa cum laude) and a J.D. from the Helen Frye, Vice President, Human
Columbia University School of Law, where he was Resources, Prudential Retirement
twice awarded the Moe Berg Scholarship and won Scott Moeller, CEO & Director of Executive
the Thomas E. Dewey prize. He is also a graduate Development, Cass Business School
of the Columbia University Graduate School of
Business Executive Education Program. MODERATOR
7
Performance Excellence. As founder and President ABOUT THE HUMAN CAPITAL
of Performance Partners in Health Care, a company INSTITUTE
dedicated to building better patient experiences,
she has authored several curriculums in leadership
and staff development, and co-authored with Harold
Bursztajn, M.D., Senior Clinical Faculty member,
Harvard Medical School, Building a Treatment The Human Capital Institute is a catalyst for
Alliance with Patients and Families. innovative new thinking in talent acquisition,
development and deployment. Through
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS research and collaboration, our programs col-
lect original, creative ideas from a field of top
This white paper is made possible by Towers Perrin, executives and the brightest thought leaders in
sponsors of HCI’s Workforce Effectiveness Track. strategic HR and talent management. Those
ideas are then transformed into measurable,
ABOUT TOWERS PERRIN
real-world strategies that help our members
attract and retain the best talent, build a
diverse, inclusive workplace, and leverage
individual and team performance throughout
the enterprise.
8
HEWITT WORKBRAIN
HR CONSULTING WORKSTREAM, INC.
HIREDESK
HUMAN CAPITAL MAGAZINE
HRSMART, INC.
IBM
JOBSTER, INC.
JWT EMPLOYMENT COMMUNICATIONS
KENEXA
LOMINGER LIMITED INC.
MENTTIUM CORPORATION
MONSTER CANADA
MONSTER.COM
MONSTER GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS
MONSTER JOBS
MONSTERTRAK
MULTI-HEALTH SYSTEMS
MYBIZOFFICE, INC.
ORACLE
PEOPLECLICK
PEOPLEFILTER
PLATEAU SYSTEMS LTD.
PREVISOR
RECRUITMENT AGENCY ASSOCIATION
SABA SOFTWARE, INC.
SEQUENT, INC.
SKILLSNET CORPORATION
SOFTSCAPE
SUCCESSFACTORS.COM
TALENTTRACK
TALEO CORPORATION
TOWERS PERRIN
UNICRU
VELOCITY RESEARCH GROUP
VURV TECHNOLOGY, INC.
WEBHIRE