They Called It a Merger of Equals | Mike Kline
When Bree's first job out of college went through a merger, she was in her early 20s, running video and social, and wondering whether there would still be a job for her on the other side. Her boss at the time, Mike Kline, was at the leadership table while the deal came together, and he was the one asked to sell it to the membership.
In the first episode of Humans That Work, a new series where guests tell the story of a major moment in their career, Bree Bartos and Pinaki Kathiari sit down with Mike Kline, founder and CEO of ThinkLab, Bree's very first boss, and her very first podcast co-host. Together they revisit the merger of two rival associations in the protective coatings industry, one marketed to staff as a merger of equals, from both sides of the org chart.
Mike shares what it was like to sell a deal he wasn't a fan of, why he felt people from the smaller organization were scattered and set up to fail, and what he'd tell leaders before the next one. Bree gets honest about the pay gap she discovered at a conference and the burnout that followed. And Pinaki makes the case for being honest about the job question first, even when you can't answer it yet.
In this episode, they discuss:
• Why putting people in silos is a mistake, and Bree's first taste of job crafting
• Hearing about a merger at the leadership table compared to hearing it in an all-staff meeting
• Selling a merger to the membership when you aren't a fan of it yourself
• Why the merger started to feel like an acquisition, and being outvoted ten to two
• Pay gaps, public Form 990s, and what happens when people find out
• Why trust can't be built without honesty
• Acknowledging that everyone's first question is "what happens to my job?"
• Letting two cultures coexist instead of smashing them into one
• Mike's work at ThinkLab helping people learn to build with AI
Thank you to Mike Kline for joining us! Connect with Mike here: LinkedIn
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Have a story or question about work you want to hear the hosts discuss on the podcast? Write in to our subreddit: r/humanatwork
Watch full video episodes on YouTube.
Connect with Us
Bree Bartos – LinkedIn | Local Wisdom
In the first episode of Humans That Work, a new series where guests tell the story of a major moment in their career, Bree Bartos and Pinaki Kathiari sit down with Mike Kline, founder and CEO of ThinkLab, Bree's very first boss, and her very first podcast co-host. Together they revisit the merger of two rival associations in the protective coatings industry, one marketed to staff as a merger of equals, from both sides of the org chart.
Mike shares what it was like to sell a deal he wasn't a fan of, why he felt people from the smaller organization were scattered and set up to fail, and what he'd tell leaders before the next one. Bree gets honest about the pay gap she discovered at a conference and the burnout that followed. And Pinaki makes the case for being honest about the job question first, even when you can't answer it yet.
In this episode, they discuss:
• Why putting people in silos is a mistake, and Bree's first taste of job crafting
• Hearing about a merger at the leadership table compared to hearing it in an all-staff meeting
• Selling a merger to the membership when you aren't a fan of it yourself
• Why the merger started to feel like an acquisition, and being outvoted ten to two
• Pay gaps, public Form 990s, and what happens when people find out
• Why trust can't be built without honesty
• Acknowledging that everyone's first question is "what happens to my job?"
• Letting two cultures coexist instead of smashing them into one
• Mike's work at ThinkLab helping people learn to build with AI
Thank you to Mike Kline for joining us! Connect with Mike here: LinkedIn
---
Have a story or question about work you want to hear the hosts discuss on the podcast? Write in to our subreddit: r/humanatwork
Watch full video episodes on YouTube.
Connect with Us
Bree Bartos – LinkedIn | Local Wisdom
Pinaki Kathiari – LinkedIn | Local Wisdom
Chris Lee – LinkedIn | Gallagher Communication
Lottie Bazley - LinkedIn
Edited by Dave Casto - Linkedin
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
Edited by Dave Casto - Linkedin
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
If this episode made you think differently, laugh, or even yell out loud, we want to hear about it! Connect with us on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share – maybe with your work bestie… or even your boss if you're feeling bold.
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