M&As: Territorialism
Over my career, I’ve navigated seven mergers and acquisitions from both sides of the table, including as a communications executive on a Fortune 100 deal team. Despite good intentions, even the strongest leaders can be tested. This series focuses on the behaviors and human dynamics that matter most in these moments.
An old boss of mine would comment often: “Assume good intent.” You may not be feeling it some days, Elaine would say, but she believed, and reminded us regularly, that most people want to do and say the right thing. It was a continual drip to help us keep the false narratives, assumptions, and even the periodic paranoia in check.
Here’s what most know though. It’s far easier to follow this advice when you’re thinking about others and much harder when you have to turn it on yourself. Especially during a merger or acquisition, when it may feel like every action is under a microscope.
Leaders feel the pressure. Walls may start to go up despite those best intentions. And the instinct to protect and defend your people, department, and way of doing things kicks in fast. It’s human nature.
That’s territorialism rearing its head. And it gets the best of even the strongest leaders.
What Is Actually Happening
Korn Ferry's 2025 research found that 43% of senior executives already struggle with imposter syndrome under normal conditions. And during times of transition, it’s amplified as it’s anything but normal conditions. Leadership ability is more scrutinized, roles tend to get redefined, and leaders who have spent years building credibility in their role suddenly find themselves auditioning for it again.
That feeling can make many leaders very protective, even more so than usual.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines territorialism simply as the "pattern of behavior characterized by defense of one's territory." That territory is rarely a physical space. It can mean your team, your title, your way of doing things, and for some, it may represent the years spent building and growing something.
When that feeling kicks in, it can show up like this:
Language changes. "Our people" and "the way we did it" appear almost immediately after a deal closes. “We” and “They” are the biggest language watchouts. Leaders usually don’t hear themselves say it because often it can be subconscious. But it’s loud and clear with employees.
Information filters. If your authority is diminished, controlling what reaches the team becomes a way to hang on to what is slipping. Leaders might say they are withholding or not sharing to “protect” the team. But does it? And remote teams likely feel this change faster than others when communications are filtered or selective, or worse, you appear ‘quieter’ than usual.
Talent hoarding. Research from MIT Sloan and a 2024 study by Ingrid Haegele found that three-quarters of managers admit to hoarding talent. Meaning, they keep their best people invisible to the broader organization. You rationalize that you need them more than the others to do XYZ…and in a merger, this tendency can get worse. The people you are protecting may be the ones paying the highest price for it.
All of these behaviors impact your team – the very asset you believe you’re protecting. And all of it may also affect your own frame of mind.
Territorialism happens. Assume good intent - start with yourself.
About The Author
Chris Chaia is the founder of Onwards Consulting, an executive coaching and strategic marketing consulting firm, serving leaders and organizations navigating growth and change. She is also the architect and publisher of The Business of Coaching 2025, a global research study on the practices, habits and behaviors of coaching entrepreneurs.
