How can interim management help you overcome skills gaps in your team?

Le marche est en forte croissance. Il a quasiment doublé entre 2019 et 2023. Il est encore tres prometeur car les entreprises ont compris qu'il s'agit d'une solution operationnelle et manageriale immediate dans des moments urgents et importants de type Renforcement (transformation), remplacement ou Redressement.

Allow me to make this comparison: from our perspective, interim managers often act in the role of a SHERPA. Like the best high mountain guides in the Himalayas, interim managers lead organizations and teams to the highest peaks and bring them safely back to the base camp. This requires experience, leadership, trust and methodological knowledge. Whether in mountaineering or in business, a demanding journey requires trustworthy leadership.

There are many different understandings of interim management. I define it in general, as the temporary contracting of highly qualified experts, to cover certain management or project positions. Usually, they are hired for a very specific topic, e.g. change management, implementing a new system, covering an open expert-position, etc. And things are changing – meanwhile companies are contracting interim managers not only at C-level but also on other hierarchical levels. Focusing on the needed skills and timespan.

In Interim Management, self-employed interim experts and managers work for a defined period of time (usually 3-18 months), usually in a specialist or management position with entrepreneurial responsibility in a company. The interim experts and managers are specialists with the professional and personal skills for fast, effective and industry-specific temporary solutions.

Le management de transition implique l'intégration temporaire de professionnels hautement qualifiés dans une organisation pour gérer et exécuter des projets spécifiques, piloter le changement, combler un vide de leadership, ou apporter une expertise spécialisée qui manque en interne. Ces managers de transition sont souvent des experts dans leur domaine, avec une grande expérience de la gestion de projets complexes et du leadership en périodes de changement.

Interim management is often associated with crisis situations, but its applications extend far beyond firefighting. In the higher education sector, Universities are recognising the value of interim managers in proactively steering through change and transformation. Leadership gaps, mergers, planned change programmes, and other significant shifts present unique challenges that require a steady hand and strategic vision, typically one that remains unburdened by the routine demands of the day-to-day operations. Interim managers bring more than just temporary stability; they provide a strategic compass during these transitions. Head over to my profile to read my recent article on - Leveraging interim management to navigate transitions.

Apport d'expertise immédiate : Les managers de transition apportent une expertise et des compétences spécialisées immédiatement disponibles, ce qui réduit le temps de montée en compétence nécessaire pour les projets ou les initiatives critiques. Flexibilité : Ils offrent une solution flexible, étant disponibles pour la durée nécessaire, ce qui permet à l'entreprise de s'adapter rapidement à ses besoins sans s'engager dans des embauches permanentes. Gestion de projets spécifiques : Ils peuvent prendre en charge des projets spécifiques, permettant à l'équipe permanente de se concentrer sur ses activités régulières sans surcharge. Transmission de connaissances

Lorsque la stratégie d'une entreprise change et que ses salariés lui ont été fidèles, on peut s'attendre à ce que certains collaborateurs se sentent perdus, ne sachent plus par où commencer et comment répondre aux nouvelles attentes de leur direction. Avoir recours au management de transition peut alors permettre de remettre en mouvement les collaborateurs, leur apporter du soutien et un regard extérieur neuf et neutre pour se repositionner dans cette nouvelle stratégie. Dans ce cas, l'entreprise gagne un temps précieux par une gestion proactive du changement.

Je nach Mandat geht es gar nicht um Qualifikations-Lücken, sondern um eine Mischung aus Wissen, Impulse setzen und tats?chlicher Umsetzung. Der Blick von Au?en in Kombination mit einem meist definierten Zeithorizont beschleunigt dabei ungemein. Oft sind die "wichtigen Themen" bekannt, verlieren aber im Tagesgesch?ft gegen die "Dringenden". Interim Manager helfen diese Themen anzugehen und schnell umzusetzen, da sich darauf fokussieren k?nnen.

Nach meiner Erfahrung brauchen nur wenige Personalabteilungen dauerhaft Arbeitsrechtler, aber jedes Unternehmen durchl?uft Phasen oder setzt Projekte um, in denen vorübergehend ein (h?herer) Bedarf besteht. Daher ist die Rolle eines Interim Arbeitsrechtlers bzw. Schlechtwetterpersonalers aus meiner Sicht das perfekte Beispiel dafür, wie Interimmanagement Qualifikationslücken schlie?en kann.

How I help my clients choose the right interim manager: 1. Define what success looks like - My clients often recognise the need for additional capacity, yet the specifics of success may remain unclear. By collaboratively articulating the desired outcomes, together we establish clear goals and a roadmap to success. 2. Identify the right solution - Once success metrics are defined, the focus shifts to identifying the most fitting solution. Working closely to understand challenges, allowing me to pinpoint the interim manager with the precise skills, experience, & track record needed to deliver against the roadmap. 3. Delivering outcomes - My commitment extends beyond providing talent, to ensuring successful outcomes are achieved.

Scegliere il giusto interim manager è cruciale per assicurare un risultato positivo e un ritorno sull'investimento. Per farlo, inizia definendo chiaramente i tuoi obiettivi e aspettative e comunicandoli ai candidati. Valuta le competenze e l'idoneità degli interim manager considerando qualifiche, esperienza, referenze e personalità. Stabilisci un contratto chiaro e trasparente, delineando termini, condizioni, meccanismi di reporting, indicatori di performance e strategia di uscita. Questo ti permetterà di monitorare e valutare i progressi, gestire eventuali problemi e garantire un trasferimento di conoscenze senza intoppi alla fine dell'incarico.

évaluation des besoins : Identifiez clairement les compétences et l'expertise requises pour répondre à vos défis spécifiques. Recherche d'expérience : Cherchez des candidats ayant une expérience prouvée dans des projets ou des défis similaires et une forte capacité à s'adapter à différents environnements organisationnels. Compatibilité culturelle : Assurez-vous que le manager de transition comprend et s'aligne avec la culture de votre entreprise pour faciliter une collaboration efficace.

My tip: businesses are well-advised to look into a couple of areas: 1) Goal: What is your specific need and painpoint? Why are you not reaching your goal – what is missing? 2) Conditions: timeline/ budget/ ressources in teams, projects/ problems + challenges 3) Skills: Which set of skills are crucial for your success? Hard skills + soft skills (!) 4) Proof: Any recommendations from your trusted network? Contact (and screen) renowned providers, agencies. 5) Experts: Interview and assess possible interim managers – on their qualifications, track records (profile), experience 6) Culture: Ask yourself – does this manager align with my people, my company? What does your gut feeling tell you?

There are 2 ways to choose an Interim Manager. 1-Directly. Or 2- through a recruitment agency specialized in interim management. There are pros and cons. It is difficult to find the right manager alone, that is where agencies bring value. However, the agencies's margins are sometimes high which increases the client's total cost significantly, reducing the attractiveness of the solution...

One of the main qualities that an interim will bring to an organisation is experience. Most, like me, have been around a fair bit. Often they will be coming into an organisation that may be experiencing a challenge for the first time so its really important to give them some latitude to do things their way. In short, don't overmanage an interim, tell them your challenges and what you need to achieve and then give them the freedom to get on with finding solutions.

Intégration et orientation : Facilitez une intégration rapide en fournissant les ressources nécessaires et en présentant clairement les objectifs et attentes. Communication ouverte : Maintenez des lignes de communication ouvertes pour assurer un alignement constant et adresser rapidement tout défi ou changement de direction. Soutien et autonomie : Offrez le soutien nécessaire tout en donnant au manager de transition l'autonomie requise pour apporter son expertise efficacement.

Co?t : L'expertise de haut niveau vient souvent à un co?t élevé, bien que temporaire. Résistance au changement : L'intégration d'un manager de transition peut rencontrer une résistance de la part des équipes existantes. Dépendance : Il y a un risque de devenir trop dépendant des managers de transition pour des compétences clés, ce qui peut poser problème à leur départ.

1: The 1st step is to clarify which industry and functional competences the candidate should have. 2: The right mix of skills is crucial, but you also need experiential knowledge for quick and targeted decisions. 3: Check the cultural fit between your company and the interim manager. 4: Don't just decide on the basis of price. James Goldsmith says: "If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys". 5: Formulate your tasks, the most important objectives, etc. as precisely as possible. 6: Agree clear goals and measures with the interim manager in writing and ensure sufficient flexibility. 7: You must have access to the necessary data and resources yourself and make them available to the interim manager, together with the necessary powers to act.

The challenge is to find the proper profile quickly. The risk is low and small because the client can stop the contract with only one month's notice...

Ahoy, pirate ???? mate! Arrr, interim management. Bringin' aboard a seasoned pirate—er, manager—on a temporary basis lets ye face the fiercest storms. Let's talk treasure. The first benefit, matey, is the quick skill infusion. With their savvy know-how, these managers can jump aboard and steer straight away. Second, ye get fresh strategies—they’ll bring in ideas from different ports, havin’ sailed many seas before, givin' yer crew a new map to follow. Lastly, there’s flexibility—when the storm’s passed, they can set sail. As for risks? Few, if any! Aye, if the interim manager don’t quite fit yer ship’s culture, ye might have some rocky waters, but the benefits? Great treasure, me hearty! Worth every doubloon!

Interim management, traditionally seen as a reactive measure, is evolving into a forward-thinking strategy for organisations undergoing transitions. By strategically deploying interim managers during these pivotal moments, organisations can not only weather the storm but emerge stronger, more adaptable, and better positioned for future success.

Planification de la sortie : Prévoyez dès le début comment le transfert de connaissances et la transition des responsabilités se feront vers les équipes internes. Mesure de l'impact : établissez des indicateurs clés de performance pour évaluer l'impact du manager de transition sur l'organisation et les objectifs spécifiques. Considération de la durabilité : Assurez-vous que les solutions et changements introduits sont durables au-delà du départ du manager de transition.

Requiring interim management to overcome skill gaps, accelerate transformation, solve social crises and drive sustained-growth... essential in today's fast-paced and complex business environment. He.she provides accelerating transformation initiatives, whether digital, structural, or strategic... without the biases or constraints that internal leaders might have. He.she can provide the strategic insight and leadership necessary to solve the social issues thanks to strong adaptability, empathy and knowledge. Focusing on collective performance ensures that the organization moves forward as a cohesive unit, with all members working towards common goals. He.she excels at fostering collaboration and aligning teams.