A Quick Guide To Interim Management

Whether a business is a large corporation, a small function, a public sector department or a not-for-profit organisation, there are times when it needs expert help – without delay. An interim management solution can be very effective in resolving organisational problems, whether the need is for a change in direction, climbing out of a hole, invigorating a business or dealing with an unexpected situation.

Whether managing a crisis, delivering a critical project, handling change and restructure sensitively or simply reinforcing in-house capability, interim managers can meet critical business needs in the right time-frame and represent great value for money.

The four benefits of interim management can be summarized as follows:

• Interim Management is a powerful alternative to traditional recruitment and consultancy for senior positions. An Interim Manager is not only readily available but also flexible and can be switched off, as a resource, whenever and as often the company works.
• It is uneconomic for most companies to size their workforce to cover for every peak in their business activity. This becomes evident during periods of change and transition but also when a critical resource becomes suddenly unavailable. An Interim Manager can relieve pressures faced at senior levels.
• Experienced Interim Managers are naturally adaptable and can step in and rapidly learn about a company, its organisation, as well as the task or challenge in question. But that’s not all, the added value provided by
• Interim Mangers comes from mentoring their clients’ staff, developing successful relationships, and advising from experience.

By the very nature of their engagements with clients, Interim Managers remain 100% independent and totally apolitical. Put differently, the only reason Interim Managers are on the project is to deliver it in line with what was agreed with the client. The goals of the Interim Manager and its client are fully aligned from the outset. Once the objective and scope of engagement is agreed, the Interim Manager starts this work, and will not leave the project until it is truly finished. This includes the completion of all handovers before the final sound of the whistle and even the recruitment of the Interim Manager’s successor if required.

What differentiates a professional Interim Managers from executives and other types of temporary or fixed-term contract resources are:

• High-impact: An Interim Manager is practised at making a significant difference quickly, assessing and working with the company culture and often with little in the way of a formal ‘brief’. They do not need time to warm up or to settle in, but focus quickly on the work in hand.
• Independent: An Interim Manager remains outside of company politics and so can address issues from a position of neutrality. This can be particularly useful when difficult and unpopular decisions have to be taken. They also act as trusted advisers who tell it as it is.
• Professional: An Interim Manager is a micro-business in his/her own right, usually operating as a company. They trade with the hallmarks of business, not employment, such as professional indemnity insurance, business e-mail and often their own business website.
• Senior: Operating at board or near-board level, an Interim Manager is a manager and executives who have gravitas and credibility. He is used to leading businesses, functions, and departments. Suitably well qualified, they advise then deliver effective solutions.
• Transformational: Interim management is often focused on activities related to change, transition, business improvement, crisis management and turnaround. Even when the assignment addresses a gap or shortage, an Interim Manger adds value and energizes the workplace.
• Wide expertise: With a strong track record of completing a variety of assignments, an Interim Manager typically combines depth and breadth of expertise in his chosen sectors and disciplines. An Interim Manager’s agility gives him the wide-reaching expertise to deliver results quickly.
• Time focused: An Interim Manager is available at short notice. Once engaged, he will focus on providing significant value within the agreed fixed-term time parameters, seeing the assignment through and for not longer than needed, to a conclusion.

The image below shows the key benefits of interim management: