This should be evaluated and the impact on the firm should be considered. Stay on Track. This approach may work but it is more apt to lead to a lot of wasted time. For example, one firm I know completely disregarded their agreed-upon candidate description and began pursuing a totally different type of merger candidate. After several months of discussions, many anxious moments, and an incredible amount of unproductive time, talks broke down when the realization set in that the merger did not alleviate the critical problems recognized during the planning phase.
Emotions often affect people and can get the project off track.
For example, a partner can get caught up in a possible merger because he or she is enamored by the potential size of the combined firm. His or her ego or other emotional needs start to direct the approach and critical considerations are conveniently overlooked at overshadowed. Sometimes partners can be very short-sighted. Some have been known to become overwhelmed by current fears or concerns, e.g., loss of a major client, and become focused on one aspect of a merger that might seem to solve a particular short-term concern. Unfortunately, this can produce a long-term disaster because other key aspects of the merger are overshadowed by an individual's particular need.