Five Frogs on a Log: A CEO's Field Guide to Accelerating the Transition in Mergers, Acquisitions And Gut Wrenching Change

Covers culture to systems. Good quotes and lessons.

I'm so happy and grateful that a close colleague introduced me to the Author, Mark Feldman, and this valuable book that contains so many practical and simple methods to build integration after a merger or acquisition. I've been frustrated my entire career watching integration efforts stall and value decline. This book provides simple solutions. I highly recommend it. Here's a great summary:Base the transition strategy on the economic value driversAggressively manage communications in order to secure stakeholder support and acceptanceLaunch small, fast-paced, short term transition teams that will accelerate implementation of the value drivers.Align organizational roles and responsibilities to ensure clarity of direction.Build a behavior-based culture around defining events dictated by the value drivers.Select and deploy role models who support the desired culture.Link incentives directly to the creation of shareholder value.

I've just re-read Five Frogs on a Log, as we're about to embark on a partnership with a large corporate, and I wanted to brush up on effective strategies for the pending transition. I found the book to be surprisingly current, despite being written over 10 years ago, which means the authors must have been ahead of the curve when first writing it ! (amazing given the fast-moving space of M&A's). I highly reccommend this book to anyone who is about to or has recently completed any type of M&A or significant transition between two companies.

This is what I found useful reading the book:1. The book lets you know what to expect in M&A and Transitions.2. It lets you gain insights on economic value creation, and teaches you to focus on the bottom-line.3. It provides a clear framework for communications at different levels to different stakeholders (customers, employees, shareholders, regulators, vendors, et al.)4. It also sensitizes you to potential competitive threats during the critical period of transition.5. It virtually hands you a launch plan for transition, but with enough insights via stories and incidents that you can adapt it; and learn multidimensionally. (e.g., What would I do when two of my competitors merge?)The authors' communication is lucid, ideas are pragmatic and insightful, and the focus is on the bottom-line. READ THIS FIRST!

Easy to read. Well organized discussion of the difference between planning and doing as it pertains to the integration and transition of a corporate acquisition or merger.

Having gone through two mergers/acquisitions with different results, this book articulates the best and undesirable practices exec mgmt should undertake while the ink is still fresh.

This is a good book that focusses on the most important change management activities in a merger situation. It could be a good introduction for members of integration teams.

Best book any executive could ever read! Simple, to the point, and an easy weekend read.