The Good, The Bad, and The Collective
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Mergers and acquisitions have a way of questioning authorities, challenging egos, and disrupting comfortable patterns. On the flip side, they offer great opportunities to observe human nature, and, more importantly – to see beyond personal and collective blind spots.
If the shake-up is strong enough, and it usually is, some people manage to ride the wave and land safely in the new reality. Others resist. Many get angry. Some fight the inevitable, fear the impossible, grieve for the none-existent. Some leave with resentment. Others leave untroubled, finally free…I know it, because I lived through it all.
I love stories. They help us make sense of the events unfolding, especially in times of crisis. Stories, myths, and fables can help us see beyond the obvious, shift perspectives, change the narratives of our own lives, and even smile at the heroes and the villains we meet along the way. In my darkest hours I turned to stories to give names both to my pains and my hopes. Here are some stories that emerged from my 10-year M&A’s journey.
Grateful for the lessons learned along the way, I also hope this piece brings clarity and peace of mind to anyone navigating the same storm. Since stories, this I believe wholeheartedly, have the power to change our lives, I want to share a few that capture some phenomena I noticed emerge during intense business transformations.
The Founding Fathers Syndrome
Every system has its founding fathers, and mothers. Business organizations are no exception.
These are employees who either built the core business team, or joined the company in its early days. They are not necessarily top executives, but often are leaders of opinion. As Keepers of the Legacy, they usually embody strong citizenship behaviour, deep engagement, and devotion to the organization’s foundations – its core values, signature products, spirit, and culture.
Founding Fathers rarely lose their jobs during an M&A process and they are not the ones who fear it. They may feel temporarily disempowered by the changes and struggle to switch off, yet burnout is uncommon – they may burn bright, but the last thing they experience is alienation or disengagement.
I have worked alongside Founding Fathers from both sides of M&A’s. They are cooperative, knowledgeable, impactful, and strategic thinkers. They don’t mind the takeover itself, but the nasty games and the little people that often come with it. They are driven by healthy anger, loyalty, and common sense, taking keen interest in how people feel and in preserving intangible resources.
Founding Fathers often ask uncomfortable questions to ensure the future remains viable for the Talented and the Legacy, and work hard to bring that future to life. If they believe in the concept and the drive behind the transformation, they can win the game – especially if they recognize each other on both sides of the M&A.
If I were ever in a position to take over a business, the first thing I would seek is its Founding Fathers. They build bridges, smooth sharp edges, keep spirits up, and possess knowledge that no due diligence or data mining can uncover on time.
Some people consider mergers and acquisitions a war. Fifteen years ago, I was one of them.
Fears rise during times of change, and the darkest scenarios suddenly look like the most probable ones. Grapevines buzz. Villains creep in. Every unintended or ill-timed action takes on meanings beyond common sense. Opinions polarize; meetings get fiery. The deal is sealed. The troops land. At that moment, the M&A story is being born. No way back. No U-turns.
Irrational behaviours flourish. I have seen it more than once, myself included. Normally cooperative peers become defensive of things they don’t even possess. Clans and coalitions form. Suddenly, everything becomes a non-disclosure material. Policies tighten; gatekeepers become tougher. Those who buy are seen as bloodhounds; those being bought feel stripped off. Processes suffer. Information flow suffers. Integration suffers. Egos clash. One side starts demanding, the other towers its defences as if there is hope the story might revert and become unborn.
In my work, and it saddens me to this day, The Lost Citadel Trauma has caused delays, poor project delivery, dreadful numbers, shamefully obvious mistakes, climate disruptions, and even unnecessary layoffs. If a newly merged organization starts crafting rules that last no more than a day, overemphasizes admin paperwork and policy crafting, or keeps playing the tunes ‘This is how we have always done it’ or ‘It must be gone by tomorrow’ for too long, it is a sign the collective is experiencing a loss, and each side is holding their baby long after the babies are gone.
We are all wired to experience pain and loss as death. Caterpillars know it, but a butterfly will tell a different story… And just to be clear – most of the time, I was on the stripped-off, bought-out side. If I can see the butterfly in the story, anyone can…
It is important to clarify that I don’t believe there is such thing as obsolete wisdom. Rather, there are people who fear their knowledge is becoming obsolete due to transformations, innovations, or disruptive changes, and they forget how much wisdom they truly have beyond skills, competencies, and expertise. I call this The Obsolete Wisdom Abyss.
It is a black hole of wasted money, time, efforts, and worries spent trying to figure out how to become someone different, how to transform a lifelong career path, adapt to the current labour market demands, and… land your next job. For people who have spent 15-20 years in a company, it is normal to feel like their world is collapsing. It is understandable that the process of becoming aware of their transferable skills is painful, slow, and uncertain. They burn out sooner than others, experience anxiety, struggle to move on, and may not be able to change perspectives as quickly as we’d expect.
If we, as a society, can help at all, it would be good to become aware of what stereotypes we enforce and what stories we tell when observing such people’s slow and painful ride back on horse. I have personally observed the toll that ageism, sexism, and favouritism have on decent, solid experts with years of consistent service behind them. Silent departures, escapists, and underachievers can easily be mistaken with lack of engagement or capacity. I have seen many laid off as ‘failures’, only to be invited back six months to a year later. Some returned still battling resentment; others embraced the new opportunity and started fresh.
Regardless of the outcome, finding strength to leap over the abyss is what matters at the end of the day.
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What M&A stands for, in my opinion, is Magnify and Amplify. It reveals individuals’ true colours and businesses’ true value. Maybe not right away, but surely by the tipping point where two businesses become one. Amalgamating cultures and teams is a strategic task; it requires focus, perspective, and discipline. Some people are at their best when initiating that process, some are destined to sustain it, others – to orchestrate and execute it. Everyone bears their fruits and they are rarely sweet and ripe. They become so over time, but in the eye of the storm, the taste is rather bitter and salty.When going through a storm, observe what characters and narratives emerge – within yourself and in the collective. Being able to see the story behind it, surely helps navigate a career, a team, or a business – whatever is at stake in your case.
It may help more than reading or knowing about change fatigue, survivor syndrome, stress response, or culture champions. It’s worth knowing about them, but often our hearts learn better when we create our own stories and meaning…
Contact me today to explore the stories behind your transformation - whether you're leading one, adapting to it, or finding your place in the new landscape, and discover how to navigate it with passion and confidence.
