|
At this point, you may want to explore the question of: “So how do we pursue deep partnering and mergers?” This is the focus of the next chapter. However, these processes have been developed on the basis of the pitfalls and challenges, and the common success strategies that are the final topics of this chapter. Either way, you should read both.
There are a number of common barriers to successful deep partnering and merging52:
- Organizational protectionism and fear of loss: fears about job security, loss of power and influence, and loss of the organization’s uniqueness and focus. Expect resistance to new ideas and change. This is natural.
- Lack of understanding among the players: collaboration means working together, clear communication, overcoming misperceptions of the other agency, and facing differences. Many collaborative efforts fall apart because they focus only on the collective vision, and do not pay sufficient attention to the self-interests of the various players.
- Lack of leadership: collaborative efforts often fall part, not because the various players are uncommitted, but because no one is prepared to provide effective leadership over the longer term.
- Personality issues: different personal styles easily create clashes and misunderstandings.
- Real differences among the potential partners: there needs to be sufficient common ground among people’s values, ethics, and goals.
- Lack of time: collaborations and partnerships cannot be built off the corners of people’s desks.
- Reactions to complexity and ambiguity: who will report to whom, how will we bring the two boards together, it is all too fuzzy.
- Unequal power dynamics: small organizations trying to collaborate with larger ones often fear being swallowed up.
Back to Top
|