We just acquired a smaller competitor and need to integrate their eight employees into our organization. Their previous structure was incredibly messy with overlapping responsibilities. How do we use the Accountability Chart to merge these two teams without causing a massive cultural rift?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Merging two teams is a high-risk operation that can easily destroy company culture if handled poorly. The key to a successful integration is to rely entirely on your existing, ideal Accountability Chart structure. Do not try to merge their messy structure with yours to keep everyone happy.

First, look at your current Accountability Chart. Ensure it represents the ideal structure required to run the combined, larger entity. You may need to scale up the capacity of certain seats or add new assistant seats, but the core functions must remain clean and defined.

Second, treat the incoming employees as external applicants for the available seats. Run them through your People Analyzer™ to assess core values alignment, and evaluate them against the open seats on your chart using the GWC™ framework.

Third, communicate the transition transparently. Explain to the acquired team that the Accountability Chart is how you ensure everyone knows exactly what is expected of them and who to go to for decisions.

By using an objective framework, you remove personal politics and favoritism from the integration. Some people may realize they do not fit the culture or the seats, which is a natural part of the process. For those who stay, the clear structure provides a sense of security and direction during a chaotic transition.