Interim management — the honest guide
What we know after twenty years.
Not every business challenge needs an interim. And not every interim is right for every challenge. Here is our honest view on when it works, when it does not, and how to set an assignment up for success.
When an interim is the right answer
Interim managers are best deployed for finite, project-driven pieces of work. These are the situations where a career interim adds extraordinary value and where the return on investment is clear and measurable.
The best interim assignments have three things in common: a well-defined brief, clear success criteria, and an agreed exit point. When those three things are in place, a career interim can be one of the most effective investments a business makes.
"Interim Executives can help a client diagnose the problem as well as deliver the solution."
When an interim is not the right answer
They rarely make good gap fillers, and they are not a convenient shortcut for a speedier permanent hire.
When interims are hired for permanent roles, clients can often end up disappointed when the interim decides to move on a year or two later. Most interims are driven by fixing and improving things. When there is nothing left to fix or improve, they get itchy feet.
Hiring permanent candidates for interim roles presents its own challenges. The real differentiator in our experience is the ability to influence as an outsider — something career interims have demonstrated time and again across multiple businesses and sectors.
There are always exceptions, which is why honest and candid conversations matter so much. We will always tell you which approach is right for your situation — even if that means recommending a different solution entirely.
How to structure an interim assignment for success
The most common reason interim assignments underdeliver is a poorly defined brief at the outset. The clearer the assignment is defined before the interim starts, the better the outcome for everyone.
Before an interim begins, Laithreach will help you work through all of the following as part of the briefing process. A well-structured brief is the foundation of a successful assignment.
We will guide you through every one of these points before your interim starts. This is not bureaucracy — it is the difference between a successful assignment and a disappointing one.
The specific problem or project the interim is being brought in to address
The outcomes that define a successful assignment — what good looks like at month one, month two and month three
Who the interim reports to and how decisions will be made
What authority and budget the interim has from day one
The expected duration of the assignment and the exit plan