Five Frogs on a Log

Five Frogs on a Log offers readers an entertaining andno-nonsense field guide to the mergers and acquisitions jungle,packed with insight and instruction for executing corporate changeand capturing shareholder value. Whether you're buying anothercompany or acquiring a new vision of the future, this book proffersan unconventional perpsective and a practical, readily accessibleset of solutions to the single greatest challenge facing today'smanagers: execting rapid transitions in mergers, acquisitions andgut wrenching change.

Acknowledgements xi Foreword xiii Mergers, Acquisitions, and Large-Scale Change Introduction: The Salado River xvii The Seven Deadly Sins of Transitions 1. Opportunity Lost 1 The Dealmakers’ Nightmare 2. The Ugly Truth 7 Deciding Is Easy, Executing Is Hard 3. More Ugly Truth 15 Why Performance Deteriorates 4. The Law of the Band-Aid 31 The Need for Accelerated Transition 5. 260 Priorities 37 Economic Value Creation 6. Windshield Watching in Seattle 53 Early Communication and Stability 7. No Secrets, No Surprises, No Hype, No Empty Promises 69 Connecting with Your Stakeholders 8. Five Frogs on a Log 89 Launching Transition Teams 9. Acute Structural Anxiety 107 Organization Structure and Role Clarity 10. The Two-and-a-Half-Ton Truck 119 Policies and Practices 11. The Ultimate Scapegoat 137 Unconventional Advice About Culture 12. The Blind Man’s Dog 169                                    Value Creation Incentives 13. The North Bank 183 Index 187