When a company is acquired, merged with another, or acquires another company, CIOs often are at the forefront of the change, dealing with combining IT systems, transitioning employees, and evaluating the changes that both will have on the business. If this happens to you, make sure that you understand the compatibility or lack thereof of the IT systems of both enterprises. Craft a plan to communicate the progress of the integration. Put reassurance on top of the communication priorities list and communicate with internal audiences regularly. Work on building new relationships. Take time to get acquainted with the new business units and key players. Ask the other company's CIO whose operations will be most impacted by any change to the IT system, who the key stakeholders in those departments are, what input your IT department needs to have and what adjustments they will have to make. Also, always keep in mind the business implications of technology, realize that you don't know everything, and don't go public before having the necessary internal conversations.

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