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Interim management

1What Is It?

Interim management is the temporary engagement of an experienced manager for the purpose of solving different business problems quickly and efficiently. The interim manager is "all in one": project leader, director, consultant, mentor, trainer, etc. He is usually hired for a period of three to six months, but he may also be engaged for just one day or as long as two years.

Interim management first appeared in Europe in the early nineteeneighties, and is a rapidly growing branch today.

2Advantages of the Interim Manager over the Employee

  • Speed and simplicity – no tedious hiring/dismissal procedure.
  • Knowledge and competence – these are highly qualified persons (mostly overqualified for these positions) who apply their rich experience, many skills and broad knowledge from the very first day of work.
  • Efficiency – there is no breaking-in. A clear focus and discipline bring about quick and noticeable results.
  • Development of the management team –as a mentor and trainer, the interim manager transfers his knowledge, skill and experience to your management team.
  • Objectivity and openness – no burden of internal politics and relationships. The interim manager is not an employee of the company, he will say what he thinks and not what the owner would like to hear.
  • Investment-return ratio – at first sight an interim manager seems expensive, but in the end the figures always refute this.

3Which Qualities Does the interim Manager Possess?

  • An impressive curriculum (preferably in a multinational corporation)
  • discipline, a focused and structured approach to everyday work
  • specific knowledge, skills and experiences
  • adaptability – he often takes up new projects and ventures into new working environments
  • rich experience in managing human resources
  • diagnoses, analyses and solves problems easily
  • mentor, trainer, consultant, motivator and friend
  • outstanding aptitude for building interpersonal relationships
  • motivated by results, when he solves one problem, he looks for the next one
  • leader, communicator, he builds his reputation on charisma, knowledge and skill
  • team player.
 

Do You Need a Business Consultant or an Interim Manager?

If you require help analyzing the state of your business or developing a business strategy, you need a consultant. If, in turn, you are looking for help with the implementation of the strategic measures you have defined, an interim manager will be your best choice.

An interim manager can at the same time be a consultant, but a consultant is, usually, not an interim manager, because he does not engage in the implementation of the solutions he proposes.

The diagram above clarifies the division of roles of a business consultant, an interim manager and a director-employee.

The difference between a consultant and an interim manager thus lies in the fact that a consultant advises and recommends, remaining responsible to his own company. An interim manager implements the agreed measures, being directly and exclusively responsible to his client.

There are, however, persons, who due to their rich business experience, can at the same time function as business consultants and interim managers.