One Framework to Accelerate Lasting Buy-In

Authored By Deitra Curry

Some projects start with a blank slate. Post-acquisition integration isn’t one of them.

When two organizations come together, so do their processes, systems, pain points, and personalities. The stakes are high: get it right, and you accelerate the creation of value. Get it wrong, and you introduce risk, duplication, and resistance. The challenge isn’t just alignment—it’s timing. You don’t have six months for everyone to “come around.” You need shared understanding and commitment now, without sacrificing buy-in for speed. It’s not fast because it’s light—it’s fast because it builds the proper structure upfront.

During a post-M&A integration effort, I led a team tasked with unifying key supply chain and operational processes across two organizations. Our objectives included realizing synergy savings, safeguarding enterprise compliance frameworks, aligning onboarding practices, and preparing systems for integration – all under a broader transformation portfolio with an 18-month horizon. While urgency was a factor, success hinged on bringing people along the journey, not just checking off milestones.

One saving grace? A structured, chartered Kaizen framework backed by data-driven continuous improvement (CI). It became a go-to for accelerating alignment, execution, and value realization across several workstreams. Here’s how.

The Challenge

Following the acquisition, we needed to onboard a subsidiary into the parent company’s operational practices while honoring decentralized decision-making. Our integration program spanned areas expected: savings pipeline development, strategic sourcing and synergies, compliance, logistics, distribution, and procurement systems planning. The intent was clear—standardize priorities, protect autonomy where it was working, and accelerate ROI to meet business goals. However, each team had different pain points, varying levels of readiness, and distinct stakeholder expectations, and we were all still getting to know one another.

The Approach

We utilized a series of chartered Kaizen events, structured with CI tools, to drive clarity, engagement, and execution. While this approach supported multiple initiatives, I’ll use our supplier risk workstream as a representative example of how it worked in practice. These weren’t your average brainstorming sessions—each Kaizen followed a repeatable formula:

• Clear Kaizen Charter with Executive Sign-Off: Not our project charter—but a cousin you’ll recognize. The charter defined the problem statement, strategic alignment, scope, data inputs, risks, stakeholders, SMEs, and event success criteria—executive sponsors from both the parent company and the subsidiary signed off on the plan before the kickoff. For our supplier risk initiative, the details were aligned to identify high-priority risks across strategic suppliers, focusing on potential disruptions, contract exposure, and regulatory compliance. This effort aimed to develop prioritized mitigation plans while introducing center-led best practices. Because the relevant data was dispersed across systems and owned by decentralized stakeholders, we first needed to gain a rapid understanding of the current state, align on an interim plan to streamline prioritized risks and decision-making, and define a long-term roadmap for system onboarding.

• Stakeholder Mapping and Inclusion: From the subsidiary, a designated integration champion helped coordinate alignment and engagement across their teams. With the department leads who reviewed the charter, we identified who needed to be in the room: decision-makers/representatives, business owners, and SMEs. Some didn’t control spend, but had key insights into operational pain points & domain knowledge.

• Pre-Work and Data Preparation: We held a one-hour kickoff call to review the charter, align on the agenda, and clarify pre-work expectations. For the supplier risk event, we finalized the segmentation to confirm the list of shared and strategic suppliers, which helped narrow the scope and streamline data collection. Domain leads and delegates gathered easily accessible inputs, such as contract terms, compliance reporting, and performance metrics, so discussions were grounded in facts rather than just qualitative insights or pain points, which were also explored during the sessions.

• Structured Agenda with Breakouts: Events were split into working sessions and breakout groups, following a structured yet flexible format that can be applied across domains. This takes some strategy by the Kaizen lead/PM. Sessions typically opened with an introduction, icebreaker, shared goals, and a landscape overview. From there, teams would break apart data segments for review, identifying key observations, gaps, risks, and opportunities. These were then prioritized in a breakout, followed by the development of response strategies. Teams evaluated options using tools like ease of implementation, impact, and feasibility to shape a roadmap of quick wins, near-term priorities, long-term actions, and hold items. The event concluded with a report-out to sponsors to ensure alignment and identify next steps. When assembling the agenda, it’s time to consider the pre-work and data capture, as well as who needs to attend. 

• 30/60/90-Day Plans: Every output was categorized as a quick win, near-term action (30–90 days), long-term initiative, or item to park. Each was assigned an accountable owner, timeline, and, where applicable, a resource request.

• Executive Report-Outs: Final sessions included structured readouts for sponsors to validate, support, or approve resources. The summary reinforced ownership, timelines, and how executive alignment would help accelerate progress.

What Went Right

• Early and Authentic Buy-In: Having leadership involved in shaping direction—and their teams engaged from the outset—made the outcomes feel shared, not handed down.
• Use the Right Tools to Surface Priorities: For our supplier risk initiative, we used segmentation and a risk scorecard to pinpoint the “vital few” suppliers and domains with the highest exposure. These tools quickly framed the conversation and focused the team’s efforts. Depending on the use case, other CI methods—such as Pareto analysis (80/20), root cause and corrective measures (RCCM), or business process mapping—can help identify critical areas. The key is selecting the method that fits the problem, available data, and timing, whether applied as pre-work or during the event.
• Right Representation Drives Decisions: This approach helped us filter noise and zero in on what mattered—but only with the right people in the room. We combined data with domain expertise, ensuring participants had the background, ownership, and decision-making authority, or at least clear guidelines. This moved the room from discussion to action.
• Peer Visibility Drove Accountability: Once you’re on the report-out list, alignment matters. A structured, linear process helped shape shared priorities and translate them into a roadmap.

What We Learned

• Plan for What Follows—and Make Post-Event Commitments Clear: We knew going in that this wasn’t a one-and-done session—it was a focused way to surface current state, align, and prioritize work. The Kaizen created clarity and direction, but it also generated deliverables that required ongoing execution and maintenance. That’s why we set expectations early and built a 30/60/90-day follow-up structure to maintain momentum. The key wasn’t just producing a roadmap, but ensuring it transitioned into a broader master plan with visibility and ownership.

While most participants understood this, a few naturally associated Kaizen with traditional continuous improvement efforts—quick, incremental wins on the shop floor or in service workflows. In modern strategic contexts, Kaizen events can be scaled up to address more complex initiatives, such as post-merger integration, compliance planning, or supplier risk management. These efforts require a sustained runway. The Kaizen builds alignment, but the real impact depends on how you carry that alignment forward.

• Normalize the Process: When teams are used to this approach, they know what to expect—pre-work, engagement rules, and structured outputs. It gets easier every time, and it becomes a shared way of working. Familiarity builds confidence, reduces ramp-up time, and accelerates alignment. Even if your organization isn’t there yet, PMs can still model this structure within their programs. By introducing repeatable practices and preparing first-time stakeholders on what to expect, you establish a clear tone.
• Balance the Load on Pre-Work: While stakeholders were asked to bring domain-specific inputs—such as performance metrics, contract terms, and system data—we handled much of the foundational analytics to reduce their burden and ensure alignment. Still, the pre-work was more time-intensive than expected. In future sessions, we’d more deliberately scope the prep timeline and better communicate shared ownership. The right balance ensures both readiness and buy-in while respecting team capacity.
• Structured Yet Adaptive: With flexible facilitation, we adjusted time slots and reprioritized tasks during the event as significant developments emerged. That agility mattered.

Final Takeaways: What Stuck With Me

• Start with Alignment, Not Action: Build your executive-sponsored charter and get the right people on board before jumping in. Ensure that both the 'why' and 'how'—including post-event follow-through—are clearly understood.
• Create a Culture of Clarity: When people understand what Kaizen means, they arrive prepared to engage.
• Use Data and Dialogue: Combine stakeholder insights with targeted business intelligence to ground decisions.
• Make Decisions Visible: Peer accountability and executive report-outs drive alignment and follow-through.
• Build Foundational Skills: Structured facilitation and CI-based problem solving are becoming essential capabilities for modern PMs, not just tools for operational teams. These skills help teams align quickly and move confidently into execution. While dedicated facilitators can add value, organizations don’t always have that luxury, and time constraints often require PMs to wear both hats.

It’s about creating the right container for decision-making, driven by data and shaped by people. Structured frameworks like these apply across strategic initiative types, including evolving PMO services. As transformation becomes a constant, PMs who can lead with clarity, engage cross-functional teams, and accelerate buy-in are more critical than ever.

Please let me know if you’d like to create your own Kaizen charter or agenda. Happy to swap ideas.

Contributor Bio

Deitra is a PMO-focused Program Manager who helps organizations move from strategy to execution through structured frameworks, technology enablement, and cross-functional alignment. With a background in supply chain transformation and continuous improvement, she specializes in accelerating enterprise initiatives that require both clarity and buy-in. She believes program success starts with the right conversations—and the right structure.

Connect on LinkedIn: Deitra Curry