What do you do if you're a leader considering temporary and contract work?

As a leader contemplating temporary and contract work, consider the flexibility and agility these arrangements offer. Leverage them for specialized projects, peak workloads, or testing new talent. Assess the impact on team dynamics and morale, ensuring clear communication about roles and expectations. Balance short-term needs with long-term strategies for talent development and retention. Remember the words of business guru Peter Drucker, who said, "Do what you do best and outsource the rest." Utilize data-driven insights and industry benchmarks to make informed decisions about staffing models, optimizing productivity and cost-effectiveness.

Temporary and contract work can help you do the work which you like and also you will get flexible work time. When you do temporary work it can help to build new networks every time. You can try out different paths. And you can also earn more money. When you do contract work it will earn you more money than permanent work. You can diversify your network. Learn about new culture every time.

Leaders embracing temporary and contract work discover its strategic value. Whether facing seasonal demands or special projects, tapping into this flexible talent pool ensures agility and cost-effectiveness. By leveraging specialized skills on an as-needed basis, teams remain nimble and responsive, adapting swiftly to market shifts. Embrace the opportunity to augment your workforce with diverse expertise, fostering innovation and growth. Temporary and contract work isn't just a solution—it's a strategic advantage for modern leaders navigating dynamic business landscapes

Explore flexible staffing options, assess project needs, leverage specialized skills, maintain agility, and strategically supplement permanent staff with temporary or contract workers as needed.

The glaring challenge of temporary and contract work is the uncertainty in landing or ending a project. However, in today’s environment of ongoing RIFs across so many industries, working full time as an employee is just as volatile as contract work. Getting up to speed has to happen quickly in these type of roles and could be a challenge for someone who isn’t strong in those “hitting the ground running” scenarios.

Research local Fractional communities to be part of. There is an emerging group of senior leaders (CTO, CEO, CMO, CHRO etc...) who are increasingly chosen Fractional employment. Fractional leaders benefit from flexibility and diversity of working with different organizations while being able to fully flex their strengths and talents. It is a work arrangement where an individual provides specialized skills or management services to multiple organizations on a part-time or project basis. It's similar to freelancing, but it differs in that it's more involved with the company. Fractional employees are not project-based.

Coming in as a leader on a contract means that you need to earn the trust of the team very quickly. Absolute honesty and humility up front will be your friend. The team will know so much more than you, have more context, so be curious and humble to ask for their help to spend time explaining things. Don't let your ego tell you that you need to know more, or come in and try to dominate. Your role as a leader is to enable the team to do their job, clear blockers, escalate issues - not to know more than them.

Know Yourself: Align temporary work with your leadership skills and career goals. Is it a stepping stone, learning experience, or entrepreneurial launchpad? Find the Right Fit: Network, explore specialized platforms, and target companies known for temporary leadership roles. Negotiate Smartly: Ensure clear contracts with project scope, deliverables, timeline, and compensation. Negotiate benefits and consider liability protection. Lead Like a Star: Build trust, deliver value, and adapt to new environments. Make it Count: Learn new skills, build your portfolio, and network actively to secure your next leadership opportunity. Temporary work can be a strategic move for leaders, with careful planning and execution.