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Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

  • 1.  Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-05-23 12:30

    Hi everyone,

    I'm excited to share a case study I have been working on for a while on an M&A integration project for a global engineering and environmental consultancy. This study delves into the challenges we faced, including change fatigue, past integration failures, and the limited capacity of people leaders. It outlines our strategies and solutions, focusing on the development and activation of a change agent network.

    We struggled a lot at first with this last one!

    I am preparing a supplemental article for this case on best practices for establishing and managing change agent networks, and I'm eager to hear your thoughts and feedback on this case study. Your insights will really help ensure that this piece resonates with the target audience, change professionals who have navigated similar integration challenges.

    If you have time, I'd love to get your honest feedback. What strategies have worked for you in similar situations? Are there any additional considerations or best practices you would recommend?

    Looking forward to your responses and thank you in advance for your help!

    Andrew

    Link to Case Study



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    Andrew Ourique
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  • 2.  RE: Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-05-28 10:59

    Andrew - I will review this study and get back to you this week! :) 



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    Leslie Ellis
    leslie@meaningfulchangeconsulting.com
    Founder & CEO
    Meaningful Change Consulting, LLC
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-05-29 08:51

    Thanks so much Leslie, looking forward to hearing your thoughts! Really appreciate the support :)



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    Andrew Ourique
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-05-29 16:27
    Edited by Leslie Ellis 2024-05-29 16:29

    Andrew, 

    You are welcome. Here are a few thoughts focused on the CAN insights you requested: 

    It looks like you created the CAN (Change Agent Network) to help with the capacity/overload on people leaders. If that was the main driver for the CAN, then full alignment of people leaders and teaching the people leaders and organization how to be leverage the CAN is critical to it's success. 

    Also, I would recommend 'empowering' the CAN by creating opportunities for Executive Leadership to champion, engage with and support the CAN members is important to keep up the energy and momentum - and to signal to the organization's people leaders that this group is empowered and critical to the success of the integration efforts. It also gives the CAN more executive leader visibility for themselves and the role they are playing for the integration. 

    Question: Did you ask the people leaders what would help them with capacity challenges and they suggested an Change Network solution or was this created without their input? Something to consider as this may not have been the solution your people leaders may have come up with...and that could lead to some resistance among people leaders feeling like they are not valued or competent - it could be sub conscious or overt. 

    You say above that you feel that the CAN was a challenge to establish and manage the change network. Can you tell me more with an example or two of where you struggled specifically? I can then tailor my responses/experiences to those issues. From your case study, I don't see it outlined where you struggled with the CAN and therefore it wasn't as effective...it only talks about what the solution is you used and from a perspective of 'what worked'. Perhaps consider adding in a section to your case study that talks about what didn't work as well and lessons learned or to be researched further. 



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    Leslie Ellis
    leslie@meaningfulchangeconsulting.com
    Founder & CEO
    Meaningful Change Consulting, LLC
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-06-03 10:03

    Thanks so much for this Leslie, some really great insights here. For this particular client, the change agent network was set up prior to me being brought onboard. You're point re: whether people leaders asked for it really got me thinking. I'm 99% sure they didn't ask for it, nor did we communicate that this was their role which I think was a miss on our end for sure. 

    The CAN was a challenge to manage for sure. I think a big part of that was the lack of establishing the roles and responsibilities early on. Once I came on board we managed to bring this to the forefront but at that stage, several months after they were brought together, it was a challenge to get them to "bite" and accept. The team defaulted into an "observe and report" group which is not what we needed. The struggle was getting them to play an active role in the change. 

    Thanks for the feedback on the case, you're right. I should blow that piece out a bit more!



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    Andrew Ourique
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-06-04 20:39

    Andrew - Great learnings! I would agree based on what you have shared that that lack of complete mobilization including Roles & Responsibilities for the CAN and the people leaders in the change hindered your progress. 

    If you have a significant gap of months between formation of a CAN and then re-engaging them...there should always be another 'kick off' or 'realignment' session to re-energize  -or - you need to have a bold move from your sponsors that shows them you are serious now...months between being engaged is a  definite deflator of energy in the change effort. 

    Hope this helps for next time! 



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    Leslie Ellis
    leslie@meaningfulchangeconsulting.com
    Founder & CEO
    Meaningful Change Consulting, LLC
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-06-06 12:48

    It does. Thanks again for your help with this! 🙂



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    Andrew Ourique
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-06-13 15:52
    Edited by Heidi Grepsa 2024-06-13 15:52

    Hi Andrew,

    Great case study!  If I can just share my two cents on my past experience with Change Agent Networks. A clear distinction of their role and that of a leader is critical in them understanding ownership and being fully engaged. As you were brought on to the project when they were already chosen, a lesson learned may have been to level set everyone on their role and time commitment. What I have seen play out differently though in other projects, is that Change Agents were not part of project meetings or responsible for assigned agenda items.  The extent of their involvement was to attend exclusive (CAN only) monthly online meetings (virtual) and be up to date on key messaging and major milestones which we shared and then relied on them to cascade amongst their peers. So, I wonder what the bandwidth was for your Change agents?  Could they afford to attend project meetings and be responsible for tasks such as what you listed i.e. assigned agenda item if they did not have the time or motivation to do so? Perhaps that led to the resistance experienced.

    Otherwise, I thought your case study was very comprehensive and well put together! Thanks for sharing.



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    Heidi Grepsa
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-06-17 09:03

    Thanks for this Heidi, the monthly meeting cadence with the expectation to cascade information to their peers was the original design as we were cognisant of their capacity. The change agents we had used in the project where they were embedded into the project were seconded so they had capacity to support; there were also only 4 change agents selected in that case. 

    Question. How did you get the change agents to consistently cascade information? We were never able to do that. It just became a one-sided discussion with them monthly with zero accountability on their end. Even after level setting with the group multiple times, they never seemed to embrace their role.



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    Andrew Ourique
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-06-14 07:55
    Hi Andrew, This was a great case study. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. It seems that the change network was established without a clear definition, and it wasn't clear whether participation was voluntary. Revisiting this with a survey might be helpful. 
    You could ask participants if they still have 10% of their time to commit to the project or if there is someone else on their team who might want to take on this role? Extending this question to the entire team might reveal new volunteers who are eager to enhance their skills and add this experience to their performance development plans.
    It's important to present this opportunity as a chance for learning and engagement, rather than just another task.
    Involving these individuals in meetings where they can interface between the project sponsor and the team is crucial. They can provide valuable feedback and then share the project's progress and exciting ideas with their team, acting as cheerleaders to motivate others.
    Consider establishing a rating scale to identify what makes a great change manager. This helps ensure you are getting the right resources. Being a subject matter expert doesn't necessarily make someone a great change network person. Sometimes, rotating people through the role can be beneficial. You could use a survey to determine who would like to be next, providing a timeframe and clear information about the role's responsibilities, time commitment, and engagement opportunities.
    Leadership must embrace and include these individuals, not as secondary participants but as essential members of the team. They should feel welcomed and valued. Everyone should see that leadership is engaging with them and they're valued. 
    This approach helps motivate the team, and leadership's active support is crucial. Participants should feel they want to be there, not that they are being told they need to be there.
    I believe we had something similar where we had to show the requirements, role time frame, I am going to look as it may spark some interest in future change networks or modifications to the current one. 
    Thank you again for sharing. 


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    Tammie Ray
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-06-17 09:25

    Thanks for your feedback Tammie! The team was volun-told for the assignment let's just say. I think confirming their capacity at the onset it key and I really like your point about alignment with their development goals. Your point about interfacing with the project sponsor makes a lot of sense. We actually had the benefit of having the executive sponsor chair the change agent meetings, a first for me. This made it even more surprising that we struggled with engagement from this group. But I think having that level chair the meetings hurt instead of helped us; the change agents perhaps were simply nervous to speak up during the call. Finding that right balance was definitely a lesson learned for us. 

    I really like the rotation concept. I've thought about a similar structure that resembles more of a working group model v. the traditional change agent network approach to be laser focused on what their roles and responsibilities are and to be cognisant of everyone's time. 

    The lack of gaining leadership buy in I think was our most significant lesson learned. It may be why the network failed. Any advice on how you helped get that buy in from leaders would be really helpful!

    Thanks again,



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    Andrew Ourique
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    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Seeking Feedback: Case Study on M&A Integration and Change Agent Network

    Posted 2024-06-19 09:08
      |   view attached

    Hi Andrew, I was trying to scrubbed and failed to post. I had a presentation to help people become change managers, the couple of slides helped everyone understand the commitment time and what the criteria and expectations were - feel free to modify if you would like. . I do believe the rotation helped so everyone can raise their hands rather forced. Good luck and keep us posted!  



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    Tammie Ray
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    Original Message