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The Role of Training and Development in a Merger situation

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What contribution can a staff development unit make when 2 educational institutions are considering a merger?
Ian Nichol

3 Responses

  1. Be the Change Enabler
    You can help to identify the similarities and differences and support the culture change that occurs – of course it does depend on whether or not it is a merger (equal partners) or a take over (where inevitably one institution will want to exhert it’s muscle adn processes etc over the other).

  2. Celebrate difference and encourage exploration of these differen
    Everyone likes to be seen to do things in their own way and well. In order to merge two organisation or departments you need to acknowledge and celebrate what each group already does. I would really go over the top with the praise and allow each group or section of workers to present their success to the other group or section. Make it a ground rule that any comment or question is preceded with a positve remark. Only after this stage should you begin to ask them to look at which methods or systems will be taken forward for the good of the new organisation, team etc.

  3. what can you add?

    Well, you could do something about uncovering shared/not shared assumptions (using something like Johnson’s Cultural Web).  Or – perhaps more practically – you could provide stress management training for senior people.

    — Karen, fe3 consulting