Lets Talk Leadership

Lets Talk Leadership

By Des WalshBusiness
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Lets Talk Leadership episodes

  • Leadership Skills for a Time of Merger: Des Walsh [Podcast] - Lets Talk Leadership
    Boom Time for Mergers and Acquisitions
    In 2014, corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&A) worldwide reached a seven year high of around $4 trillion. KPMG’s 2015 M&A Outlook Survey Report was headed “The Boom is Back: M&A Reemerges as Leading Growth Strategy”.
    But even the most optimistic figures about mergers and acquisitions show that no more than 50% are successful. It’s clearly a high risk business move.
    In this episode of Let’s Talk Leadership I cover some general issues affecting leadership of a merger and the key areas of leadership skill required.
    The focus is on mergers rather than on acquisitions.
    Or you can subscribe via Stitcher Radio or via email.
    Key Points to Consider for Leading in a Merger

    Reasons for the Merger
    There can be a variety of reasons for a merger, but the particular reasons need to add up to an agreement between the merging companies that the merger makes sense because of:
    • complementarity of the two businesses, pointing to a potentially profitable synergy

    • improved market reach/impact, which will often include improved geographical reach
    Adaptive Leadership
    Every merger is a journey into uncharted territory.
    The success of a merger will require purposeful, astute, agile, adaptive leadership, and leading from strength.
    Leadership Skills for a Successful Merger

    1. Negotiate the deal

    * Open, comprehensive conversations before the deal is inked
    * Look at risk as well as upside

    2. Communicate the rationale

    * A well articulated strategy for communication about the merger, especially for communication with employees of both companies, and with other stakeholders, including customers, suppliers and investors
    * Regular discussions with key people in the newly merged firm

    3. Oversee the logistics of change
    Self-evident, but make sure it is in the to do list.
    4. Manage the cultural adjustment and keep key staff engaged
    Especially important for retaining the services and commitment of key people
    5. Manage the evolving perception of differences
    As time goes by some differences, previously accepted, can start to be seen as a liability
    6. Be alert to changes in the external environment
    Not every risk to a merger is from the internal dynamics of the merging and now merged company. External factors can play a big role.
    7. Negotiate adjustments to goals and timetables for success
    The world of business moves fast these days, with rapid changes in technology, modes of working, and society. Plans need to be adaptable.
    The Linchpin Skill
    The skill that holds all the others together that of managing the cultural adjustment.
    Without systematic management of the cultural adjustment, it need not take long for initial enthusiasm about the merger to dissipate under the effect of some cultural dissonance or clash of personalities or professional styles.
    Comments by Axel Schultze
    Axel responded to a question of mine on Quora about key factors for leadership in a merger. He knows the terrain. Hehas been involved in about 10 mergers, takeovers etc. Companies in the $5 million to $50 million valuation range, in Europe and the US.
    His key factors, in priority order:


    * Cultural alignment
    * Team integration
    * Value maintenance
    * Incremental value creation – innovation continuity


    28 min
  • Podcasting, POTUS and the Paranoia of Good Leaders: Rob Walch [Podcast]
    Rob Walch is Vice President of Podcaster Relations with Pittsburgh based Liberated Syndication or Libsyn, one of two subsidiaries of Colorado based FAB Universal. Back in 2004 Libsyn pioneered the system of hosting and publishing podcasts. That’s one year after LinkedIn launched and two years before Twitter was heard of. In that time, Libsyn has […]
    32 min
  • For Business Success, Love What You Do: Sharon Williams [Podcast]
    Founder & CEO, Taurus Marketing Sharon Williams founded Taurus Marketing, an integrated PR, marketing and social media agency in 1995 and created the unique TaurusBullseye™ methodology in building businesses for entrepreneurs. Sharon is a pioneer in the Australian agency industry, one of the youngest Fellows of the PRIA. Taurus has assisted over 1000 clients from […]
    24 min
  • Leadership and Emotional Intelligence [Podcast]
    Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence as a psychological theory was developed by Peter Salovey and John Mayer, who in 1997 provided this definition: “Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote […]
    21 min
  • Millennials and Leadership [Podcast]
    In this episode of the Let’s Talk Leadership podcast, I talk about the age demographic described as the Millennials or Gen Y, those born between – roughly – the mid 1980s and early 2000s. Shel’s Book Dedication and Millennials Chapter In his new book, Lethal Generosity: Contextual Technology and the Competitive Edge, which I reviewed […]
    23 min

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Interviews, updates and commentary on executive leadership for the digital age