The 10 commandments for the success of an Interim Management mission

Calling on interim management in 2017 has become almost normal, when it comes to giving the impetus for success to a transformation project, managing an operational crisis, or launching a strategic project.
Moreover, users are not mistaken; 94% of managers have a positive image of our profession, and 97% of users recommend it (sources: Essec 2016 study for the FNMT).

But sometimes, we still come across clients who have had experiences that fall short of the expected results, both in terms of the performance of the mission and the overall performance of the team put in place.
The analysis of their case systematically shows that they have neglected certain aspects that are crucial in the choice of the interim management company, the manager, or the prerequisites for a good performance.

 

So what are the 10 commandments to recommend to future user customers, who want to maximize the impact of a future mission?

Commandment #1
Interim Management with Recruitment, I won’t confuse

While recruitment is intended to find the right caliber over time, in all evolution, the call for a transition mission allows the arrival of an immediate contributor for a limited time. It will therefore necessarily be oversized in relation to the mission, immediately effective, and 100% focused on the subject. In this respect, calling on a transition mission is exactly the opposite approach to recruitment, starting with the way of approaching the selection and choice of manager.

Commandment #2
As in all successes, the preparation beforehand is decisive

A transition mission has an immediate and strong impact on the teams and internal change. This is one of the advantages it confers; move lines that are known to be anchored or inertial. But all this must be done taking into account the initial situation, but also the culture of the company.
To maximize this impact, it is necessary to have previously thought about the context, scope and objectives of the expected mission.
In a normal transition mission, this reflection is an important prerequisite, and a concrete formalization will be carried out with the help of the partner, according to an appropriate methodology, from the first contact (see command #5), to write the specifications of the mission.

Commandment #3
Choosing the Right Interim Management Company (1)

Not all companies offering interim management know how to do the same thing;
Recognized pure players are, in general, organized to carry out complex transformation missions with mid-caps or groups of significant size, mainly on management committee functions , by implementing operational excellence, and by consolidating the results of their missions through a quality approach and precise monitoring.
The emanations of generalist recruitment agencies generally intervene at a more intermediate level, like the level of recruitment they do elsewhere. They most often focus their offer on their responsiveness, which they have adapted to their know-how as recruiters. Some know how to offer a real implemented and structured follow-up, a point to be validated.
Opting for a freelancer is always possible, but he or she will not be able to guarantee the operational excellence of a reasoned follow-up, since by definition, he or she is alone on the mission.

Commandment #4
Choosing the Right Interim Management Company (2)

Once the type of company has been chosen, the offer, although in a niche sector, remains wide; This at least proves that the profession is attracting and growing.
Choose well-known companies with a well-established presence, for which you can have a track record and concrete references.
Similarly, it is better to favour a company that monitors its missions in a process of operational excellence, with proven tools and recognised know-how.
Companies that are members of the National Federation of Interim Management (FNMT), which have certified their work methodology (Bureau Veritas Certification) are a safe choice.

Commandment #5
The Partner, a key man to choose too

Not all partners in interim management companies are equal; However, he will be your contact person on the front line.
For a mission-critical for you, it is important that trust is fully established from the first contacts, as this will be a key success factor for the results of the mission.
Preferably, opt for companies that favor partners who have themselves been at the helm of operational units in the past, who have themselves carried out management, and therefore experienced situations similar to the one you wish to entrust to them. This is a crucial point to validate at the first contact, because once again, a transition mission is not limited to the recruitment of a manager; Follow-up in its development, and proactive anticipation of difficult moments will be key to its success…

Commandment #6
The right Interim Manager

First, the company you have contacted must have pre-selected potential candidates from its pool, all validated and known; A point that seems obvious, but remains to be validated by some.
Then, beyond the environment offered by the company, the difference will be made by the encounter. It is above all a question of alchemy between one who will entrust a critical mission and who wants to guarantee its proper execution, and the other who will carry it out and who must also be confident, all in liaison with the partner.
In a transition mission, the relationship goes both ways, and the profile chosen must be commensurate with the urgency and trust entrusted; Almost exclusively an experienced manager, systematically oversized, with leadership, values, humility, used to acting in real time, and able to quickly absorb changes and stress. And above all, knowing how to remain very operational, very “hands-on”.
A good guideline: the manager to choose is a person who will necessarily have moved from a “logic of status” to a “logic of contribution”!

Commandment #7
Don’t forget the framing of the mission

Based on the specifications, specifying the context and objectives of the mission, drawn up during the briefing in collaboration with the partner, the team thus constituted must start with a diagnosis; Within 10 days in general, the partner and the manager must present you with an action plan detailing the priority projects and the expected results.
It is validated in conjunction with you. Accompanied by a schedule, it is the mission’s reference document, from which implementation and monitoring will be carried out.
It is generally at this stage that the less serious transition companies drop out, because they only have the ability to find you a manager quickly. For the rest, it’s up to you to manage, despite the promises (which only commit those who believe them as we all know).

Commandment #8
What do I have the right to expect during the mission?

Supervised by the partner, the manager carries out his mission. It presents the client with regular progress reports, making it possible to verify the compliance of each stage with the initial objectives.
This follow-up is by default organized and planned according to the predefined schedule. It can be adapted immediately on first request, to better meet the requirements of the mission, because agility is an essential characteristic of the interim management profession.
In all cases, an assignment must be reasonably associated with a pair: the manager and the partner.

Commandment #9
And then?

The pair draw up an end-of-mission report including the results, points of vigilance and recommendations for the future. This is a basis that will ensure the transfer within the client company.
Very often, the manager also actively participates in the choice and implementation of the person who is called upon to take up the subject in its continuity, once the change has been made by the manager.
An end-of-mission review meeting takes place and closes the intervention. It is also an opportunity for the interim management company to carry out an internal “post-mortem”, as part of a continuous improvement process.

Commandment #10
What if we had to remember only one thing?

Too often, transition missions are wrongly equated with recruitment, emphasizing above all the rapid selection of a manager.
This is where most of the setbacks come from.

 

Experience shows, however, given the complexity and challenges of the situations encountered, that the implementation of a structured monitoring and support methodology, structured, proven, or even labelled, in a process of operational excellence, is a precaution that is neither more cumbersome in terms of organization nor economically, but which makes it possible to frame and anticipate all deviations.
And besides, the professional interim managers, those who take on a series of missions by choice, are not mistaken; they themselves most often require it and recommend more strongly certain recognized partners… including WAYDEN among others.