Why is management not the problem but the solution?

By Rémi Dessertine, Associate Director

Management in companies is undoubtedly evolving.
It is enough to realize the many problems encountered by companies: problems of communication, of adaptability in the face of urgency. Remedy these problems, YES, but how?
What if the solution was interim management? A solution regularly acclaimed by the management committee. The figures speak for themselves. According to lenouveléconomiste.fr, “assignments to support structuring or even relay management projects increased sharply in 2017 with 68% of assignments (+6 points compared to 2016) “positioning interim management as a tool increasingly used in this type of context”. Crisis management and turnaround missions continue their steady erosion with 5 points lost, representing less than 20% of the total.”

State of management today

Employees’ perception of management

According to a recent study conducted by Ifop and LISPE (IGS-RH Research Laboratory, IGS Group) highlighting the major changes that have marked the company over the last decade, the evolution of the management style in the company is not always perceived positively by employees.
The observations observed by the latter are mainly of 3 kinds:
– a certain rigidity,
– a predominance of verticality,
– a (too much?) high dose of opacity and a lack of vision

Communication problems, lack of adaptation to change…

Communication is a recurring problem in every organization. There are more and more questions about responsibilities, misunderstandings about mandates or expectations from the hierarchy.
Another problem that affects many companies is the distance from the customer’s expectations. And thus a misperception of its specifications. In this type of context, interim management can be a wise solution. The external view of the interim manager, his ability to create a project template and facilitate its implementation is often valuable.
The “adaptability” factor is also another element that many organizations have to deal with. For them, adapting means reacting quickly to external events. However, this is not always enough; Interim management can also be an asset. To deal with the challenges related to the start of a new project. A project on which the survival of the company sometimes depends, the interim manager shapes his organization and thus helps his teams to adapt as best as possible. With the help of the implementation of so-called agile methods: a project divided into cycles, no matter how short they may be. To respond quickly to customer expectations, internal or external. And thus ensure that we provide a product or service that is as close as possible to the specifications.
Finally, time management is an essential element to take into account in a company. It is essential for a leader to have a clear view of the capacity of each of his resources. When to call on an external resource, when to recruit? For what type of profile and/or what skills? Answering these questions is an integral part of any roadmap for a transition mission. With the characterization and optimization between planned time and real time allowing an anticipation of the performance of each one.

Interim management: a change management solution

1. Beyond being effective, it’s profitable.
   In line with many of the observations of managers, the company welcomes the intervention of an interim manager, which, rather than a cost, is a real investment for it. Often sought after for their skills, the interim manager is particularly appreciated for their ability to deal with exceptional situations, while deploying a total ability to adapt to the company and its teams. His intervention thus makes him totally legitimate to lead a team (which often forgets that he is external, not having the vocation to be long-term).
2. Several skills for a single manager
   Even if the interim manager is above all an expert specialized in his field, bringing a new qualified look at the problem encountered by the client. It is common to see the Inspector entrusted with many other roles and duties, both formal and informal. Thus, over a period generally of 6 to 12 months, he or she is intended to take on the role of a true facilitator of the success of complex projects.
3. An emergency doctor who knows how to deal with all situations

 

Interim management is also an essential recourse to take a step forward for any company, whether in times of growth or crisis.

 

For example, the ability of the interim manager to: anticipate, organize, provide good advice, for the improvement of the performance of a BU or a subsidiary, the redesign of a Supply Chain or IT master plan, the implementation of a new ERP, the closure of a site or the management of a managerial vacancy, is now becoming an essential artifice.