The document provides 10 tips for CIOs on how to survive mergers and acquisitions. The tips include being ready to exit or stay depending on whether their role will change, acting as a role model by addressing uncertainty with optimism, and being a collaborator by embracing a team mentality rather than an us vs. them approach. Additional tips include being open and candid by sharing complete information, being part of the solution by offering options to avoid disruptions, and being a game changer by taking on diverse responsibilities to show enterprise leadership.

1. PEAK 10
PRESENTS
10 SURVIVAL TIPS
FOR CIOs
When Their Companies Undergo
Mergers or Acquisitions

2. YOU’VE BEEN
ACQUIRED…
WELL, YOUR
COMPANY HAS
SO YOU HAVE
TOO.
NOW
WHAT?

3. 1
BE
READY
TO EXIT

4. If You Won’t Be Staying…
•Agree on a clear exit strategy.
•Negotiate a severance plan.
•Offer your support during the transition phase.
•Maintain dignity and a perceived role of influence
during the transition period.
•Update your resume and network, network,
network.

5. 2
BE READY
TO STAY

6. It Won’t Be Easy But…
•Accept that your role and responsibilities will
change.
•Prepare to do things differently.
•Immerse yourself in the culture and strategy of
the acquiring company; learn what they are about
and what’s important to them.
•Show your willingness to make the integration of
the two companies successful.

7. 3
BE A ROLE
MODEL

8. Show Your Staff How It’s Done.
•Address uncertainty with optimism.
•Focus on the tasks ahead rather than speculating
about where you'll end up tomorrow.
•Support the strategic direction and priorities of the
acquiring company’s CIO and executive team.

9. 4
BE A
LEADER

10. Take Charge.
•Offer to lead or co-lead IT or business integration
work streams.
•Accept accountability for a subset of the IT
integration-related synergy goals.
•Make and support difficult decisions.
•Facilitate networking with new colleagues.

11. 5
BE DILIGIENT
ABOUT DUE
DILIGENCE

12. It’s an Ongoing Process.
•Foster trust by sharing essential know-how,
solicited or not.
•Help minimize surprises for the acquiring IT
team by providing comprehensive information
about your company's IT environment.
•Learn what the new combined business’ focus
will be on and strengthen your organization in
those areas.

13. 6
BE A
COLLABORATOR

14. You Are In This Together.
•Embrace a team mentality rather than an us vs.
them way of thinking.
•Work with the acquiring CIO — and encourage
your staff to work with their counterparts too.
•Help harmonize IT decisions across your
companies during the transition phase.

15. 7
BE OPEN
AND CANDID

16. Keep the Information Flowing.
•Provide complete information about your
company's IT environment and processes to the
acquiring team.
•Explain what makes your IT team and current
processes great and where improvement is
needed.
•Share what you can, when you can, and provide
frequent updates.

17. 8
BE PART OF
THE SOLUTION

18. Make It Work.
•Anticipate potential sources of concerns for the
acquiring CIO and provide options.
•Offer solutions for avoiding integration-related
disruptions.
•Demonstrate your ability to solve problems
quickly, decisively and creatively.

19. 9
BE QUICK AND
AGILE

20. Get the Show on the Road.
•You can accomplish the most in the early days of
an acquisition or merger so be ready to think and
act quickly and decisively.
•Keep the momentum going; avoid temporary
workarounds as they’ll likely be cumbersome −
and could become permanent.

21. 10
BE A
GAME
CHANGER

22. Bring Down the Siloes.
•Take on responsibilities not assigned to other
executives; show management you are an
enterprise-wide leader who can take on diverse
responsibilities.
•Use the merger or acquisition to gain experience
and knowledge outside of IT; prepare yourself for
a possible move to another C-suite position down
the road.

23. Tell Us What You Think
What are your thoughts on surviving a merger or
acquisition?
Send your comments to us at:
marketing@peak10.com

24. THANK YOU!