The deal model promised synergies—cost savings, revenue growth, operational efficiency. Synergy realization is the process of turning those promises into actual value. Without deliberate effort, synergies remain PowerPoint fiction.

Start with synergy identification: map every synergy from the deal model to specific initiatives with owners, timelines, and tracking metrics. Cost synergies (headcount reduction, vendor consolidation, facility closure) are typically easier to identify and track than revenue synergies (cross-sell, market expansion).

Then track relentlessly. An EBITDA waterfall shows synergy realization against baseline—are you ahead, behind, or at risk? Quick wins in the first 100 days build momentum and credibility. Synergies at risk need escalation and intervention before they become permanent misses.