Priority one

Much has been written about board process and how leaders are tested and ‘born’ in mergers and transitions. In our experience when two boards merge there is an almost immediately a struggle between the thought/vision leaders of the legacy boards. The negotiations following will either support the more dominant thought leader or seek to challenge him or her.

We recommend that for board negotiations to be most productive and focused, the primary reference must be the agreed on vision; therefore getting to that vision must be the consultant’s first critical work. This common vision statement must be precise and singularly inspiring. The consultant will need to rely on it again and again to guide the inevitable contest of wills between the boards and staff of the merging organizations.

Leadership of the merged organization will need to be united and guided by this vision statement. New organizational structures and operational processes will need to be created and shaped. Department and program leadership can no longer rely on the old standard operation procedures as they are often different in the two legacy organizations. A clear and inspiring vision statement helps shape the branding language, connect staff’s shared values, and is central to creating a productive and supportive culture for staff and constituents.