Build for the actual work
Conveniently available employees may lack either the capacity or experience required for integration. Assign people who can lead the specific challenges, and account for the operating responsibilities they already carry.
Plan and communicate deliberately
Translate deal objectives into a detailed integration plan, including dependencies, ongoing operations, and the limits of how much change the business can absorb. Give employees and other stakeholders timely, coherent information. Due diligence and a sound strategic rationale are necessary foundations, but delivery depends on practical execution. Strong integration leadership connects the intended synergies with the resources, decisions, and behavior required to achieve them.