We just acquired a smaller competitor and now we have duplicate roles on our leadership team. How do we consolidate the Accountability Chart without losing key talent or causing a cultural revolt?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Consolidating two leadership teams after an acquisition is a delicate process that requires absolute clarity and transparency. If you handle this poorly, you will trigger a political turf war and lose the very talent you bought the company to acquire.

To do this right, you must build a single, integrated Accountability Chart from scratch. Forget about the existing titles and focus solely on the seats required to run the combined entity. Define the exact results and conative strengths needed for each seat on the new chart.

Once the seats are defined, evaluate the leaders from both companies against the GWC™ framework. This objective approach removes emotion from the decision and ensures you place the right people in the right seats. For those who do not secure a seat on the leadership team, look for other valuable roles within the organization where they can contribute. By maintaining open communication throughout the process, you can minimize anxiety and build a cohesive, unified team. This clear, unbiased restructuring protects the acquisition's value and aligns the new leadership team around your long-term strategic vision.