It's Friday. On Monday, all of us would no longer be employees of USF&G Insurance but instead, the company that acquired us. 

As the leader of multiple offices for USF&G, I knew I needed to do something to help my high-performance teams make it through the post-acquisition integration. 

What did we do?

We created a rite of passage. 

What is a rite of passage?

A rite of passage is a ritual, event, or experience that marks or constitutes a significant milestone or change in a person's life. (Merriam-Webster)

Societies across the globe have utilized rites of passage for centuries.

A rite of passage helps us make sense of change and provide a sense of renewal with that change.

Our Rite of Passage

Employees engaged with humor sharing their memories, thoughts, and insecurities. Activities included a pinata with pink slips intermingled with candy, music full of good-byes and get-over-it messages, party favors showing the company logo with a door closing, and balloons on which employees wrote a thought about the change and then let the balloons go. 

Before leaving the office that day, we agreed we would come to work on Monday ready to be Vikings (the acquiring company was in Minnesota.)

What Does a Rite of Passage Do for Deal Value?

The team members who participated in a rite of passage came to work post-deal with a more positive attitude than those who did not participate. They also more quickly demonstrated their value to their new employer. They were high performers, and they stayed.

Mergers and acquisitions occur daily. Talent is a critical consideration in most deals. 

There's no shortage of checklists for due diligence and post-acquisition integrations. What I have yet to see on any of these checklists and project plans is an effective change leadership tool – the rite of passage.

When you are a leader in either an acquiring or target company, how you help your talented employees prepare and weather life before and after the deal either adds or erodes the company's value. 

Consider creating a rite of passage for your upcoming M&A integration.