After years of experience, and taking a respectful license for the simile used in this case, we dare with some cases to avoid, in a roundabout way, if you hire an Interim Manager for your company.
As we often explain to our clients, in the world of Interim Management, where agility and the ability to make an impact are the key to success, we often focus on what a good professional must do to be successful. But what about mistakes? Knowing the possible "sins" to commit, which can cause a mission to fail, is as important as mastering the best practices and goodness of these professionals.
At Servitalent, we know that experience and strategy are fundamental in talent management. Therefore, we have identified the 7 most common mistakes that an Interim Manager must avoid at all costs to ensure a positive and lasting impact on theorganization and business leadership.
Arriving at a company and pretending to impose prefabricated solutions without understanding its culture, its processes and, above all, its people, is the first great sin. The Interim Manager who does not take the time to listen, observe and learn from the internal dynamics is destined to fail. Humility to adapt and the ability to understand the context are their best calling card and key.
Believing that you have all the answers and not involving internal teams in the change process is a blunder. The Interim Manager is not a dictator, but a facilitator. An excess of ego that prevents genuine collaboration and the desire to take all the credit will generate resentment and resistance, dynamiting any initiative and affecting organizational restructuring.
Starting a mission without clearly defining the scope, objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) is a direct path to failure. Lack of clarity in expectations leads to misunderstandings, delays decision making and makes it impossible to measure the success or failure of the Interim Management mission, affecting strategic objectives.
Communication is the oxygen of any Interim Management mission. Failure to maintain transparent and constant communication with all stakeholders (management, team, employees, stakeholders) erodes trust. Hiding problems, not giving timely feedback or not reporting progress on a regular basis sows uncertainty and can paralyze progress in business continuity.
An Interim Manager does not operate alone. Neglecting to build strong and sincere relationships with team members, other departments and senior management is a serious mistake. Lack of these connections can make it difficult to gain support, implement decisions and, ultimately, sustain proposed changes for business success.
An Interim Manager who only focuses on the immediate result and does not care about the sustainability of the changes once his/her mission is over, commits a cardinal sin. The absence of a knowledge transfer plan, the lack of training for the internal team or the non-implementation of processes that last over time, turns their efforts into something ephemeral. The goal is to leave a legacy, not just a closed Interim Management mission.
Any change process, in itself, generates resistance, and an Interim Manager who does not know how to anticipate, manage and mitigate this resistance is doomed to failure. Ignoring people's concerns, not communicating the "why" of change or not involving those affected in the process can torpedo even the best-designed strategy. Change management is not just another phase, it is an essential skill for any HR professional.
Avoiding these deadly sins will not only maximize the chances of success of an Interim Management assignment, but will also strengthen the reputation of the hiring company. At Servitalent, we understand that excellence in Interim Management lies in both what is done and what is avoided for business leadership.