Fifth Chrome Business Insights Anirvan Sen

Join Anirvan Sen, a seasoned expert in building high-performance organizations, and James Harris, Integration Manager at Google with over 25 years of M&A experience, in an enlightening conversation that dives deep into the complexities of mergers and acquisitions. This episode sheds light on the critical role of culture and professional development in the success of M&A projects. Discover invaluable insights on the importance of understanding cultural differences, the power of direct coaching, and the need for open dialogue to seamlessly integrate diverse company cultures.

Key Highlights:
📌 Unpacking the 'Why' Behind Cultural Differences in M&A
📌 The Impact of Founders’ Backgrounds on Organizational Culture
📌 Strategies for Effective Professional Development and Leadership in M&A
📌 The Role of Courage and Presentation Skills in Navigating M&A Challenges
📌 Practical Advice on Cultural Integration and Continuous Learning

Whether you're a CEO looking to navigate your next merger, a leader aiming to foster a culture of continuous learning, or an M&A professional seeking to enhance your skillset, this podcast offers essential knowledge and strategies to help you succeed. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of mergers and acquisitions, and learn how to leverage cultural integration and professional development for organizational growth.

Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more insightful discussions on business strategy, leadership, and organizational development. Your journey to building a high-performance organization through strategic M&A starts here.

#MergersAndAcquisitions #CorporateCulture #HumanResources #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #OrganizationalDevelopment #TalentManagement #CultureChange

📌 About James Harris:
James Harris is a senior M&A practitioner with 25+ years of experience in the field. He has worked with some of the largest companies including Google and Amazon. His expertise encompasses various facets of M&A, with a special focus on the leadership and cultural dynamics of merging organizations.
👉 James Harris' LinkedIn


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🎙️ Hosted by:
⁠⁠Anirvan Sen, CEO Fifth Chrome 👉 LinkedIn Profile⁠⁠
⁠⁠Anahita Sen, Co-Facilitator Fifth Chrome Podcasts 👉 LinkedIn Profile⁠⁠

🌐 This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠Fifth Chrome⁠⁠, your trusted advisor for M&A, Integration, and Business Transformations. ⁠⁠Visit our website⁠⁠

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Books mentioned by James Harris:
🔹 Jim Collins: Built to Last.
🔹 Eli Goldratt: The Goal.
🔹 Emilie R. Feldman: The Divestitures.


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🔹 For More Insights:
Stay tuned for more episodes from Fifth Chrome, where we explore the intricacies of business strategy, high-performance organizational models, and M&A dynamics. Don't forget to subscribe and leave your thoughts in the comments!

#FifthChromePodcast #MergersAndAcquisitions #CorporateCulture #BusinessStrategy #BusinessPodcast #FifthChrome

In this enlightening episode, we delve deep into the heart of culture and HR in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), featuring the expertise of Kim Jones, a senior HR leader renowned for her extensive experience in M&A. Kim Jones shares her valuable insights into the critical role of people strategies during these transformative processes, emphasizing the significance of coaching leadership teams, engaging and retaining key talent, and managing the intricate aspects of organizational culture.

Culture, as Kim defines it, is the collective belief and behavior system within an organization, encompassing values, perks, work habits, communication styles, decision-making processes, and the interaction dynamics between leaders and employees in both physical and virtual spaces. Through compelling anecdotes and examples, Kim illustrates the challenges encountered during international acquisitions, particularly highlighting her experiences with an American company acquiring Korean and Austrian firms. She points out how productivity was impacted by cultural differences, underscoring the necessity for a structured, systematic approach to cultural integration, characterized by regular interactions and a “no judgment” policy to facilitate smooth cultural assimilation.

Moreover, Kim sheds light on the unique challenges faced by CEOs of acquired companies, who often transition from being autonomous leaders to navigating the complexities of influence within larger organizations. She advocates for the use of cultural roundtables as an effective tool for addressing the multifaceted cultural and people-related challenges in M&A, providing practical advice for leadership on both sides of the acquisition.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone involved in M&A, HR professionals, and leaders looking to understand the nuances of cultural integration and the strategic importance of human resources in ensuring the success of mergers and acquisitions. Join us as Kim Jones unravels the layers of culture and HR in M&A, offering guidance and strategies to navigate these challenging waters effectively.

Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more insightful discussions on business strategy, leadership, and organizational development. Your journey to building a high-performance organization through strategic M&A starts here.

#MergersAndAcquisitions #CorporateCulture #HumanResources #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #OrganizationalDevelopment #TalentManagement #CultureChange

📌 About Kim Jones:
Kim Jones is a senior HR M&A practitioner with years of experience in the field. Her expertise encompasses various facets of M&A, with a special focus on the cultural dynamics of merging organizations.
👉 Kim Jones' LinkedIn

🎙️ Hosted by:
Anirvan Sen, CEO Fifth Chrome 👉 LinkedIn Profile
Anahita Sen, Co-Facilitator Fifth Chrome Podcasts 👉 LinkedIn Profile

🌐 This episode is brought to you by Fifth Chrome, your trusted advisor for M&A, Integration, and Business Transformations. Visit our website

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Books mentioned:
🔹 Klint C Kendrick: The HR Practitioner’s Guide to Mergers & Acquisitions Due Diligence: Understanding the People, Leadership, and Culture Risks in M&A.
🔹 Klint C Kendrick: The HR Practitioner's Guide to Cultural Integration in Mergers & Acquisitions: Overcoming Culture Clash to Drive M&A Deal Value.
🔹 Carol S Dweck: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

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🔹 For More Insights:
Stay tuned for more episodes from Fifth Chrome, where we explore the intricacies of business strategy, high-performance organizational models, and M&A dynamics. Don't forget to subscribe and leave your thoughts in the comments!

#FifthChromePodcast #MergersAndAcquisitions #CorporateCulture #BusinessStrategy #BusinessPodcast #FifthChrome

In this insightful episode of the Fifth Chrome Podcast, we delve into the often-overlooked aspect of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) – culture. Join us as Lynette Buitt, a seasoned M&A practitioner, shares her extensive experience and perspectives on the pivotal role of culture in successful M&A transactions.

Key Highlights:
🔹 Culture as a Central Element in M&A: Lynette discusses how culture is a crucial, yet frequently neglected component in many M&A deals. She emphasizes the importance of incorporating cultural considerations into the early stages of the M&A process.
🔹 The Importance of Onsite Cultural Assessments: Learn about the effectiveness of onsite evaluations in understanding an organization's culture. Lynette explains how observations of office setups, employee interactions, and collaboration methods can offer profound insights into an organization's cultural dynamics.
🔹 The Myth of Merging Best Cultures: Discover why the idea of combining the 'best of both worlds' in terms of culture often fails in practice. Lynette sheds light on the challenges and misconceptions surrounding the integration of different corporate cultures.
🔹 Culture Sidetracked by Competing Priorities: Understand the common scenario where cultural considerations are overshadowed by other urgent priorities in M&A, leading to a lack of attention and resources devoted to cultural integration.

📌 About Lynette Buitt:
Lynette Buitt is a senior M&A practitioner with years of experience in the field. Her expertise encompasses various facets of M&A, with a special focus on the cultural dynamics of merging organizations.
👉 Lynette Buitt's LinkedIn


🎙️ Hosted by:
🎤 Anirvan Sen, CEO Fifth Chrome 👉 ⁠⁠LinkedIn Profile⁠⁠
🎤 Anahita Sen, Co-Facilitator Fifth Chrome Podcasts 👉 ⁠⁠LinkedIn Profile⁠⁠

🌐 This episode is brought to you by Fifth Chrome, your trusted advisory for M&A, Integration, and Business Transformations. Visit our ⁠⁠website⁠

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Books mentioned:
🔹 Robert E. Quinn: Building the Bridge As You Walk On It: A Guide for Leading Change.
🔹 James Clear: Atomic Habits.
🔹 Marshall Goldsmith: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.

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🔹 For More Insights:
Stay tuned for more episodes from Fifth Chrome, where we explore the intricacies of business strategy, high-performance organizational models, and M&A dynamics. Don't forget to subscribe and leave your thoughts in the comments!

#FifthChromePodcast #MergersAndAcquisitions #CorporateCulture #BusinessStrategy #LynetteBuitt #BusinessPodcast #FifthChrome

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🎙️ M&A Stories presents an in-depth interview with Jay Goldman, Co-founder and CEO of Sensei Labs.

In this enlightening conversation, Anirvan Sen delves into the journey and philosophy behind Sensei Labs, a subsidiary of Klick Health, that focuses on data and talent-centric organizational culture. Jay shares how their platform Conductor is revolutionizing the way businesses operate by addressing various organizational needs.

🔹 Key Highlights:

Origins of Sensei Labs: Initially an internal tool within Klick Health, the platform gained immense traction and was brought to market.
🖋️ Global Recognition: Invitations to speak at Google, Harvard, NASA underlines their influence and credibility.
🖋️ Core Principles: Three core tenets guide Sensei Labs - "Technology as a coach," "data as a sixth sense," and "engineered ecosystems."
🖋️ Naming Insight: 'Sensei' reflects mastery in teaching and data sensing, and 'Labs' symbolizes the company's spirit of innovation.
🖋️ Data-Centricity: Born from a technology-focused culture at Klick, Sensei Labs found the critical role of data in improving organizational operations.
🖋️ Platform Evolution: How a ticket-based system for internal communication evolved into a data-rich platform that powers critical decisions.
🖋️ Conductor's Features: This orchestration platform is versatile enough for strategic transformations, M&A, cost reductions, and more, with features like project management, KPI tracking, and collaboration.
🖋️ Managing Complexity: The importance of change management as an explicit process is emphasized, with a unique "enterprise orchestration maturity model" offered to guide transformative work.
🖋️ Post-Merger Integration: Jay explains the critical role of change management in ensuring a smooth hand-off between deal teams and integration management offices.

👉 Learn more about how Sensei Labs is shaping the future of organizational strategy and execution by visiting https://www.senseilabs.com/


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📌 About Jay Goldman:
Jay Goldman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sensei Labs, makers of Conductor, the world’s best Enterprise Orchestration platform. Jay is the co-author of NYT Bestseller The Decoded Company (Portfolio/Penguin), has written for HBR and Forbes, and is a member of the HBR Advisory and Forbes Technology councils. Jay has delivered inspiring talks around the world, including TEDx, NASA, Harvard, Twitter, and Google.

👉 Jay Goldman's LinkedIn Profile

🎙️ Hosted by:
🎤 Anirvan Sen, CEO Fifth Chrome 👉 LinkedIn Profile
🎤 Anahita Sen, Co-Facilitator Fifth Chrome Podcasts 👉 LinkedIn Profile

🌐 This episode is brought to you by Fifth Chrome, your trusted advisory for M&A, Integration, and Business Transformations. Visit our website

#MergersAndAcquisitions #EmployeeLayoffs #BusinessPodcast #FifthChrome
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Books mentioned:
📘Jay Goldman: The Decoded Company: Know Your Talent Better Than You Know Your Customers.
📘Andrew Grove: High Output Management.
📘Reed Hastings: No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention.

In our latest episode of Fifth Chrome Business Insights Podcast, we are joined by Summer Hilliard, an advocate for employees facing layoffs during Mergers and Acquisitions. Summer brings a refreshing perspective to a challenging aspect of M&A, offering strategies for both employees and employers to handle layoffs with empathy and effectiveness.

Layoffs during M&A can be an incredibly sensitive issue, often poorly handled by companies. Summer Hilliard delves into common mistakes, such as impersonal email terminations and insufficient communication with remaining staff. She explains how such actions can create a toxic culture of uncertainty and disengagement.

🌟 Key Takeaways:

- The five stages of grief employees experience during layoffs
Strategies for "What's Next": whether to continue in a similar career path or pivot entirely
- The psychological toll of layoffs on retained employees
- The importance of a humane approach to layoffs, especially when the business case is built on headcount-based cost synergies
- Recommended tools like GlobeSmart for navigating these challenges effectively
Summer emphasizes that what employees seek most is to be "seen, heard, and appreciated." She advocates for real conversations between managers and employees being made redundant, ensuring that their transition, however difficult, is handled with the dignity it deserves.

Don't miss this episode packed with actionable advice and a compassionate understanding for a process that impacts the human side of business deeply.

Subscribe to our channel for more valuable insights on M&A, Integration, Leadership, and Business Strategy. Hit the notification bell to stay updated on our latest releases.

📌 About Summer Hilliard:
Specialist in budgeting and planning for employees affected by layoffs
Passionate about employee well-being during transitions
Focused on both near-term and long-term strategies for impacted employees
👉 Summer Hilliard's LinkedIn

🎙️ Hosted by:
Anirvan Sen, CEO Fifth Chrome 👉 LinkedIn Profile
Anahita Sen, Co-Facilitator Fifth Chrome Podcasts 👉 LinkedIn Profile

🌐 This episode is brought to you by Fifth Chrome, your trusted advisory for M&A, Integration, and Business Transformations.

#MergersAndAcquisitions #EmployeeLayoffs #BusinessPodcast #FifthChrome
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Links mentioned:
- https://www.afterlayoff.com/
- https://www.globesmart.com/
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Books mentioned:
- Stephen R. Covey: The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People.
- Sheryl Sandberg: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.
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Podcasts mentioned:
- Chalene Johnson, Build your tribe
- Chalene Johnson, The Chalene Show

In this insightful episode of Fifth Chrome Business Insights Podcast, we have the privilege of hosting Claire-Marie Nasr and Cathy Powers, two seasoned M&A practitioners, for an in-depth discussion on the critical role of culture in Mergers and Acquisitions.

Often underestimated, organizational culture extends beyond simple behavior patterns. It is a broad sphere encompassing leadership styles, organizational values, and individual purpose. Claire-Marie and Cathy delve into the many dimensions of culture - from the spectrum of inward-outward focus to the variance between formal-informal and hierarchical-flatter structures.

They highlight the importance of culture teams stepping into the shoes of leaders and employees from both acquiring and acquired companies to accurately map and bridge cultural gaps. While culture might not be a deal-breaker per se, the preservation of values and seamless transition of the acquired organization's culture are essential for a successful merger.

The conversation is peppered with interesting examples from Claire-Marie, illustrating the influence of national cultures on organizational cultures, and insightful remarks from Cathy on the role of leaders in shaping and driving organizational culture, especially within M&A contexts.

Whether you are on the buyer or seller side of a merger or acquisition, this episode provides valuable perspectives on culture in M&A. Don't miss this chance to learn from the experts.

Subscribe to our channel for more insightful conversations on M&A, Integration, Leadership, and Business Strategy. Don't forget to hit the notification bell to stay updated on our latest releases.
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About Claire-Marie Nasr:
• Integration as differentiator and value optimization for M&A
• Works closely with executive stakeholders, Claire-Marie is an experienced change leader
• Led teams in the Financial and Technology Industries.
• Responsible for driving the delivery of strategic and cross-functional initiatives and allowing your teams to overcome challenges.]

About Cathy Powers:
• Certified change management professional, coach, and scrum master helping organizations navigate transformational challenges
• Talent management
• Diversity and Inclusion management, Culture change
• Experience in Energy and mining, Retail, and Banking Industries

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The hosts of the interview are:
Anirvan Sen, CEO Fifth Chrome
Anahita Sen, Co-Facilitator Fifth Chrome Podcasts
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This interview is part of a series run by Fifth Chrome (https://www.fifthchrome.com), an business strategy advisory and training company specializing in M&A, Integration, and Business Transformations.
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Links mentioned:
- https://hbr.org/

Books mentioned:
- Simon Sinek: Start with Why.
- Jim Dethmer: The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success.