To reassure an acquired company's partners, communicate that their existing investments (like competencies and specializations) will be directly transferred. Describing the program integration as a 'lift and shift' provides concrete assurance that their earned value will not be lost, reducing uncertainty and maintaining trust.
A counterintuitive benefit of being acquired by a larger company is improved internal team cohesion. The sudden influx of new partnerships and opportunities from the acquiring entity can compel the smaller team to work more closely together, fostering stronger alignment and mutual support.
In an acquisition, the initial priority isn't strategy, but calming uncertainty. Leaders should establish a constant, accessible communication flow—using tools like chat communities and an open-door policy—to reassure the team and ecosystem, addressing stress before tackling operational changes.
To avoid cultural dilution post-acquisition, the smaller company can maintain its identity by operating as a separate business entity within the larger organization. This allows them to preserve unique operational cadences and internal collaboration models, like Splunk's 'village' approach, amidst the broader integration process.