Try an Interim Manager to build!
What means to be an “Interim Manager” in reality? What’s the job? For sure there is a link with “interim”! Our intervention into a company will only be done within a define time frame (short- and sometimes middle times).
The image of the job was at the beginning negative. I remember an employee telling me: “you are a cleaner, an eraser… and that’s why you’re here!”
It was not the case but we are to deal with this natural and human fear, entering like a foreigner into a family, often with a problem to solve.
Sure, a part of “us” is specialized in helping companies to restructure, to manage a crisis or to push for quick and forced transformation: less or no internal affinity (means not less compassion), protects HR manager and CEO during this period, brings the needed technique, the “bad guy” is external and will leave…
Today the “Interim Manager” (or so called “Transition Manager” in French) is much more seen as a reactive operational and/or strategic help, for a defined period, in replacing quickly a manager after sudden departure, in solving some problems without any internal solution, in setting new processes with a neutral and external view and skill, in launching new activities or products/services, in building teams around new challenges, in answering to a strategic question, in optimizing asset valuation, in building new entities or plants, in bringing methods for digital changes, in merging several companies etc…
This also avoid to charge the wage bill and allows to been helped just for 1 task and for a certain period.
You mainly find General Managers (Plant or commercial B.U.), Financial Managers, Sales & Marketing Managers, Logistic- Supply Chain Managers, HR Managers and IT Managers. But you’ll find sometimes Administrative/Back office Team managers and many others roles.
So in my opinion, and in accordance with my skills and previous missions, an Interim Manager’s profile is much more a profile of a “Builder”, “Developer”, “Helper” or sometimes a “Savior” than a “Cleaner”.
This position needs agility, reactivity, credibility, humility and adaptability to different environments. It needs also to be attentive to the needs of the group and to be always willing to lend a sympathetic ear to others. On my side, values are important and I would refuse missions that are not in accordance with what I believe.
But never forget the target! Your time is short! You’re paid for results!
And that’s why my 1st mission starting a job, is to create an absolute must, the “solidarity value”, in mixing existing managers and employees with new ones, creating a new winning team. I will come back next time on this topic.
Remember, you won’t be strong alone. Staying the boss into your perimeter, it works often well when including the group in your reflection and solution.
So yes, try an Interim Manager to build your future with you!