Recap and Intro
So far, the M&A execution topics covered in this series have been:
- Individual contributors are the key to success
- M&A transactions are complicated, but with known parameters
- Miscommunication is the largest single contributor to execution issues
- Classic approaches are not communication-centric
- Accountability, clarity and efficiency (ACE) are necessary for trouble-free execution
- The CRISP™ Method embeds ACE using its Nexus Point approach
- IMO Role and Challenges
- Baked in accountability
- Easy resource allocation
- Trouble-free horizontal and vertical scaling
- AI today and tomorrow
Hopefully by now you’ve got a good idea that there’s a better way to execute M&A transactions than traditional task-driven techniques. Of course, adopting a new method, regardless of context or intent, is typically a challenging exercise in its own right. In this post you’ll learn how the elements of CRISP™ are designed not only to optimize initiative execution itself, but adoption of the Method as well.
The Major Components of CRISP™
CRISP™ has two major parts: the Method Runtime and optional Support Services.
Method Runtime
The CRISP™ runtime framework consists of five key elements:
- Theory of Operations: The foundational document describing CRISP™ bedrock principles and the models (communication and behavioral) central to its success.
- Tactical Field Guides (TFGs) and Protocols: Step-by-step rules and directives for contributors, pragmatically organized to ensure optimized communication resulting in clarity and alignment throughout the entire initiative arc. There are 9 base-level TFGs with multiple Protocols linked to each one.
- Key Artifacts: Critical documents, including data schemas, that provide the information architecture needed to maintain precision and consistency. There are 9 primary Key Artifacts whose specific data is required to achieve transformative results.
- Presentations: Supporting TFGs and Protocols, in the Presentations set are customizable PowerPoint documents. These include multiple adoption presentations for onboarding defined contributor roles and Key Event presentations designed for critical sessions during the integration.
- Messaging: Like Presentations, Messaging contains 20+ pre-written, customizable e-mail messages, synchronized with Protocols and Key Events, for consistent communication, ensuring contributors stay aligned and informed.
These interrelated components ensure accountability, clarity, and efficiency, driving success in even the most complicated and large transactions.
Support Services
CRISP™ offers a suite of optional services to support organizations through every stage of adoption and execution:
Training: TTT (train-the-trainer) and In-depth instruction for colleagues to understand the principles, tools and benefits of using CRISP™ are available.
- TTT: For large entities with multiple simultaneous deals in flight, TTT brings self-sufficiency to the IMO or similar organizations.
- In-depth: Configurable sessions to deliver the precisely the content needed to accelerate adoption.
- Certification: CRISP™ Authorized Practitioner (CAP) certification is available to licensees at no charge, following a timed online exam and a 15 minute interview. The CAP cert demonstrates mastery of the Method. It is good for 5 years.
Coaching: Short-form sessions tailored to contributors in your organizational context to help guide them through the CRISP™ framework. Available as 30 minute scheduled appointments for individuals or small groups.
Advisory Services: Specialized consulting to address unique organizational needs, including:
- Viability Analysis: Determining if CRISP™ will fit the unique constellation of an organization’s structure and ultimately be successful, before attempting adoption, is a unique AI-supported service. Fact-based assessments of whether investing in CRISP™ is the right thing to do based on a GPT model trained on CRISP™’s components and anonymized client artifacts.
- Initial: Free, confidential, high-level recommendation using the online IVT (Initial Viability Tool) takes about 3 minutes to complete. IMPORTANT: Not all entities can benefit from CRISP™ and the IIVT gives a quick, impartial assessment.
- In-depth: Low-cost analysis of an entity’s approach to M&A transactions including cadence and volume, cultural fit (org structure and roles), and technology capability, resulting in an adoption SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) report with estimated ROI for years 0-3.
- Adoption Support: Hands-on, bespoke guidance to embed CRISP™ within your organization’s existing processes and technology.
- Initiative Runtime Assistance: Ongoing analysis and advisory to ensure smooth execution for specific initiatives.
Delivery and Licensing
Support Services
Given that transactions take place within today’s distributed work environments, all Support Services are priced and delivered as live, online sessions. In those instances where clients feel more comfortable with in-person delivery, special arrangements can be made.
Method Runtime
CRISP™ Method Runtime components are delivered as a collection of secure, online accessible, cross-referenced, hyperlinked documents. Key Artifacts, Presentations and Messaging are rendered and available as downloadable MS-Office files.
The entire Method is licensed on a yearly, flat-rate, declining cost subscription basis. This approach offers unparalleled flexibility to adapt to client-specific usage contexts as well as ensuring ROI improvement year-over-year. The licensing model ensures organizations can scale their use of CRISP™ without incurring continually rising costs, making it an efficient, economical and predictable investment.
Starter Plan
Adopting anything new always has early activity centered-on removing doubt and concern. To those ends, the following plan is suggested to ensure that your organization is on solid footing from the very start. Here are the steps:
- Use the free IVT to ascertain whether CRISP™ might be right for you. Assuming it is …
- Purchase and review the Theory of Operations (TOO) to gain a detailed understanding of how the Method works and what it takes to adopt it. Note: The cost for the TOO is credited if the Runtime Method is purchased within 6 months.
- If after reviewing the TOO, there is still some concern, purchasing the In-Depth Viability Analysis provides a granular look at your usage situation so that any known risks can be exposed. It’s cost is also credited if the Runtime Method is purchased within 6 months.
Summary
The old adage related to the iron triangle – “time, cost, or quality|scope – pick any two” does not always apply, especially where executing M&A transactions is concerned. Easy to adopt, communication-centric CRISP™, transforms every initiative with a comprehensive Runtime Method and Support Services, purpose-built for the practical challenges facing corporate development units, IMOs, PE and advisory firms.
Development and refinement of CRISP™ has been a decades long journey. Learn about the foundational elements the Method is based on, along with real use cases, starting with a story about how reducing interruptions results in an instant and lasting boost in productivity.
Thanks for reading! If this post has sparked any new ideas or questions about how to optimize your M&A integrations, I invite you to join one of my live intro sessions. Each session is 30 minutes and limited to 2 participants for an interactive, in-depth look at how the CRISP™ method can make your next integration faster, better, and more efficient.
📅 Register here -> CRISP™ Intro Sessions
✉️ Want to stay updated on future posts and sessions? Opt-in for exclusive updates: CRISP™ site
Let’s continue the conversation and dive deeper into a transformative approach to successful M&A execution!
CRISP™ is a pending trademark of Exertus, Inc.
