Focal Leadership

Leadership

Interim leadership and the world of work

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Interim - multiple skills in corporate environment

Interim leadership and the changing world of work collide in ways that have been anticipated for many decades.

William Bridges looked ahead to the twenty-first century in Jobshift and predicted that today’s workers need to “forget jobs completely and look instead for work that needs doing – and then set themselves up as the best way to get that work done.” In 1994, this was indeed a radical view of the future; today, interim leaders are at the front of the pack in this new world of work. Bridges’ prophecy hasn’t accelerated as fast as he may have predicted, but the growth of temporary jobs in the workplace is a definite trend.  His observation that everyone is a contingent worker led Bridges to suggest that workers need to “develop a mindset, an approach to work, and a way of managing their own careers that is more like that of an external vendor than a traditional employee. Workers will be wise to think that they are ‘in business for themselves.’”  This applies not only to professionals and technicians, but also to leaders; interims in particular must make this transformation. As Bridges notes, employees need to consider “what it will be like to let go of the whole cluster of attitudes, expectations, assumptions, self-images, and values that went with the idea of ‘having a job.’”

In The Gig Economy Diane Mulcahy describes those who succeed in today’s workplace as shifting from “an Employee Mindset to an Opportunity Mindset.” This is a shift that interims embrace as they actively carve out their careers. Mulcahy describes how workers with Opportunity Mindsets “see themselves as active creators, builders, and architects of their own career trajectories, not the recipients of them. They accept and expect to generate their own customized version of security, stability, and identity that is separate from any one company or organization. They create their own visions of success and work to achieve it.”

Another perspective on the shifting mindset towards work and what motivates an interim leader is discussed by David Corbett in The Portfolio Life. Corbett paints a picture of mature workers who “create a balance of work, learning, leisure, family time, giving back, etc.” Certainly, as a career choice, being an interim leader dovetails with Corbett’s view of, “working in the form you want”, although his focus on this as an option instead of retirement is not how an interim sees his or her role. An Interim leader has an Opportunity Mindset. An interim is looking less to create personal balance—although an interim career offers this —but rather to align work opportunities and organizational challenges with personal and professional strengths.

“Interim Management is not working temporarily at one job while you are waiting for the next ‘proper’ job to come along — it is a career choice,” note McGovern and Russell in A New Brand of Expertise. To be an effective interim, they explain, requires an independence of thought and action that is different from that of a permanent employee who is concerned about keeping his or her job. McGovern and Russell’s observations further reinforce the reasons why an interim decides to pursue this mode of working. 

The need for interim leaders is growing.  Senior leaders are more aware of the significant value that an interim leader brings to organizations in accelerating growth and transformation. Traditional approaches to leadership are inadequate for modern organizations, and as Marshall Goldsmith suggests in his book of the same title, “What got you here won’t get you there” – old habits that once brought success are now delaying progress.

Clients need high-caliber, experienced, and dynamic leaders who take ownership of major projects, build relationships, and deliver results. An interim leader is a resource that is more readily available than ever.  In fact, many experienced leaders and subject-matter experts are taking charge of their careers by becoming interim leaders — today’s gig leaders.  An interim leader plays to his or her strengths, delivers high-value results to clients, and creates a portfolio career that works to both the interim’s and client’s advantage in the growing gig economy.

For more information, Rise of the Gig Leaders provides a detailed analysis of interim leadership. Please check-out the YouTube link as an introduction to the book https://youtu.be/iHMesdPFbro  

What is an interim leader

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The UK-based Interim Management Association defines an interim leader as:

• A top-level independent executive or project manager

• An expert in his or her field

• A high-level performer with a track record of quantifiable achievement

• A possessor of drive and energy

• A perceptive individual capable of adapting to new environments and delivering results

• Available immediately

Besondy and Travis suggest in Leadership on Demand that an interim can function in strategic or operational capacities, or both. The interim’s value is “to bridge the performance vacuum between transition events and to avoid the deep declines and valleys common with a full-time employment strategy.” While an interim is effective in either a strategic or operational role, the interim’s critical contribution is to accelerate, redefine, and deliver organizational change. This might not necessarily be the same as a “bridge”. It is important to understand the term “interim” in this context. Interim does not necessarily mean a holding, transitional role between permanent appointments. Indeed, for an interim leader this is rarely the case. The reason an interim leader brings value to an organization has a completely different dimension than to provide cover. An interim is a change agent, dynamic achiever, and motivated fixer!

When and why do organizations consider hiring an interim leader? Organizations want more flexibility. They want a resourcing model that allows for injections of expertise as well as the stability of leadership to implement long-term strategy. Organizations often consider the option of an interim leader when they need an immediate, highly experienced resource to lead acceleration and transformation. As William Bridges explains in Job Shift, “Because conventional jobs inhibit flexibility and speedy response to the threats and opportunities of a rapidly changing market, many organizations are turning over even their most important tasks to temporary and contract workers.” Hiring an interim is also a pragmatic choice; it does not disturb the dynamics of organizational hierarchies, progression, and career interests.

An interim leader engages with the client by having an “interim mindset”. This is primarily to exceed the expectations of the client in delivering the assignment, build rapport, and engage stakeholder support. It is also understood that the interim will move on from the organization once this is achieved. This is a goal-oriented mindset. It is not unusual, however, for a client to extend an interim’s contract and expand the scope of the interim’s contribution once the client has experienced the quality of the interim’s work. An interim leader is more than an intellectually bright individual who develops great solutions. An interim is a leader who is used to leading organizational dynamics at an executive level. Sometimes an interim is hired to tackle tightly-defined projects, and on other occasions an interim is instrumental in defining corporate strategy. Clients should not be surprised if the interim makes broad observations about direction, design, and culture. An interim leader brings an executive perspective, developed during years of experience and application, that renders him or her invaluable.

An interim leader works with the client organization for a temporary period of time and is not a threat to succession planning. A strong consequence of hiring an interim is to introduce talent, drive, and delivery into an organization. Having an interim leader on board inspires others to raise their game, provides excellent on-site mentoring, and disturbs any inertia that may exist. “Importing intellectual capital” is how McGovern and Russell, in A New Brand of Expertise, describe the opportunity that hiring an interim brings. An interim leader adds gravitas; an interim is a heavyweight resource who can make a significant difference.

For more information, Rise of the Gig Leaders provides a detailed analysis of interim leadership. Please check-out the YouTube link as an introduction to the book https://youtu.be/iHMesdPFbro  

Interim leaders and the gig economy

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gig economy

As the world of work changes, the need for interim leaders is growing. “We’re at a unique moment in human history where power is dispersing from organizations to individuals,” notes Taylor Pearson in The End of Jobs. This insight, together with sound research and the voices of business leaders, clients, and interim leaders, adds weight to the argument for interim leaders. As the positive impact of interim leaders becomes more evident, and the familiarity with interim leadership grows, business leaders will look increasingly at these professional leaders as a significant resource to build their organizations.

Today’s workplace values skilled, independent contractors who work alongside full-time employees. This is an ideal environment for interim leaders as well as specialists and consultants. In fact, Diane Mulcahy’s observation about the future of work, described in The Gig Economy, is consistent with the world that interim leaders have already discovered. She predicts that by the time today’s kids grow up, becoming an employee and getting a full-time job will be the exception, not the rule. Interim leaders embrace this reality and already know that having a diverse portfolio of “good work”, as Mulcahy explains it, “will be the new normal, and being a full-time employee for a single employer the exception.” This shift to a “gig economy” is a fertile context for “gig leaders”—highly skilled interim leaders.

More than ever, the vacuum of immediately available expert leaders needs to be filled. Employers and leaders must increasingly exercise foresight and agility as they resource organizations. Mike Johnson observed in the 1998 Economist Intelligence Unit report, “There is a new phenomenon sweeping the global business world: a serious shortage of qualified people to meet the fast-growing needs of corporations.” This phenomenon is even more prevalent in today’s organizations.

Engaging an interim leader is an effective approach to leading and building organizations; it is also a mark of those who embrace change. Consider Charles Handy’s insights in The Second Curve: “. . .to move forward in many areas of life it is sometimes necessary to change radically, to start a new course that will be different from the existing one, often requiring a whole new way of looking at familiar problems. Those who have been in charge of the first curve have to begin to think differently about the future, or, more often, let others lead the way up the new curve.” Handy echoes Mulcahy’s predictions about the shift to a “gig economy” when he writes, “I have often wondered why more individuals with valuable specialist skills do not step outside the organization, selling their skills or intellectual property back into the organization instead of giving it away for a salary – it may only be a matter of time before the contractual organization becomes the norm.”

An interim leader is at the cutting edge of this change in the workplace. The conventional world of work with long-standing organizational job hierarchies and impregnable leadership cliques is ineffective for competitive organizations in the twenty-first century. In modern organizations, the paradigm of effective leadership is not something as simplistic as a stable, long-standing group of leaders who have been with the organization since college.

The world of work is changing. Corporations that have entertained or embraced an interim leader as part of the solution to growth and transformation almost unanimously celebrate this option as a success. Leaders who embrace diverse leadership models and look beyond the wall of familiar solutions will be at the front of the pack. As Giles Hutchins notes in Future Fit, “The times in which we live herald paradigmic and metamorphic shifts challenging what we do and the way we do it, calling into question our sense of purpose, and demanding wholly new ways of creating and delivering value.”

For more information, Rise of the Gig Leaders provides a detailed analysis of interim leadership. Please check-out the YouTube link as an introduction to the book https://youtu.be/iHMesdPFbro  

The interim leader – a compelling context

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interim leader

An interim leader is one of the most valuable, yet unexploited, resources for building organizational health in the modern era. Diane Mulcahy describes the context for interim leadership in The Gig Economy: “Companies are taking previous full-time jobs and breaking them down into smaller projects or tasks to be automated, outsourced, or contracted out. It’s cheaper, more flexible, and more efficient to do so.” This broad premise is the context for interim or gig leaders. Interim leaders do more than just fill “jobs”, they assume significant leadership roles in growing organizations worldwide.

During the 1990’s, authors Charles Handy and William Bridges predicted changes to the world of work that are especially relevant to the rise of gig leaders. Consider Handy’s analogy of a doughnut in The Empty Raincoat. The doughnut comprises a central core of key employees and an outside hole comprised of portfolio workers who provide the ultimate in flexibility and effectiveness. In Handy’s earlier book, The Age of Unreason, he predicted a “shamrock organization, based around a core of essential executives and workers supported by outside contractors and part-time resources.” In Job Shift William Bridges states, “Work will not be contained in the familiar envelopes we call jobs”. He even uses the term “gig” when postulating that “the terms of work have been reframed away from positions and towards assignments or even gigs.” These doughnuts, shamrocks, and gigs shape the context for the advent of interim leadership.

Handy and Bridges’ vision can be seen today in the rise of the “gig economy”. A 2017 report on U.S. employment from Upwork and the Freelancers Union reveals that more than ever, professionals are choosing to freelance; in fact, up to 35% of the total U.S. workforce in 2017 were contract, freelance workers. According to the research paper The Rise and Nature of Alternative Work Arrangements in the United States, 1995-2015 (March 29th, 2016) published by Lawrence F. Katz and Alan B. Krueger, “94% of net job growth in the past decade was in the alternative work category (non-permanent employment)”, and interim leaders are at the cutting edge of this trend in the world of work. In addition, human resource professionals observe a global shift over the last decade in demand for those who perform jobs focused on skills, rather than career paths. This is driven by organizational needs for speed and agility which fuel the increasing requirement to supplement the permanent workforce with other talented professionals. It is much faster, for example, to hire a contract worker than a permanent professional. In addition, new technologies and options for virtual work fuel these shifts in the workforce and the ways organizations and gig workers connect.

In Accelerate (XLR8), John Kotter paints a picture of the world of work: “The world is now changing at a rate at which the basic systems, structures, and cultures built over the past century cannot keep up with the demands being placed on them.” He discusses a constant organizational challenge related to this: “You find yourself going back again and again to the same small number of trusted people to lead key initiatives. That puts obvious limits on what can be done and at what speed.” One way in which Kotter suggests this challenge can be alleviated is to, “selectively hire people who see and appreciate the true turbulence you face.” This is an opportunity for interim leaders.

A 2017 Deloitte Human Capital Trends survey suggests, “As organizations become more digital, they face a growing imperative to redesign themselves to move faster, adapt more quickly, learn rapidly, and embrace dynamic career demands. Leading organizations are moving past the design phase to actively build this new organization.” Also, there is the impact of the attitude of millennials towards work that indicates a growing acceptance of the gig economy. Many millennials are confident about virtual employment, intent on making an impact throughout their careers, and eager to find an ideal work-life balance. As the twenty-first century progresses, the traditional working relationship between employer and employee is likely to keep transforming.

For more information, Rise of the Gig Leaders provides a detailed analysis of interim leadership. Please check-out the YouTube link as an introduction to the book https://youtu.be/iHMesdPFbro  

3 Dimensions of Savvy Leadership

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savvySavvy – shrewdness and practical knowledge; the ability to make good judgments

Defining great leadership is often less tangible than check marks against competency or value frameworks. The concept of savvy leaders is one that can be defined as simply, “leaders who get it”. Leaders who know how to navigate organizations, relationships, and cultures. Leaders whose decision making is sound and well-intentioned. Leaders who have a “je ne sais quoi” about them (a quality that cannot be easily described or defined).

 

Here are three dimensions of savvy leadership that make distinctive leaders:

Organizational
Organizations are complex and unique. They can be incredibly mature and have existed for more than 100 years, maybe metamorphosing on many occasions. Or they can be vibrant start-ups. Of course, there are variations in between.
Ronald Heifetz, Marty Linsky and Alexander Grashow discuss the subtleties of organizations in The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: “To identify adaptive challenges confronting an organization, look beyond what people are saying about them. Listen to the song beneath the words.”
Leaders who “listen to the song beneath the words” have a profound organizational savvy about them. These leaders detect the ebbs and flows of an organization. They understand the pulse, the rhythm, and the direction of an organization. In their leading they have a passion and belief in the organization – to grow or change it.

Relational
Relational savvy is critical in leadership. Navigating through relationships with skill, sensitivity and selectivity is a core leadership capability.
Emotional intelligence is the heartbeat of relational savvy. Knowing oneself profoundly, understanding others in a deep way, and having an intuitive antenna to read context, are all part of being emotionally intelligent. Often the best leader is one who draws from his or her maturity, insight, and foresight to ensure that relationships support the mission and goals at hand, rather than undermine or damage them.
Demonstrating a collaborative, engaging, and curious mindset is a great way to build a rapport that leads to trust. Trust is a commodity that lies at the root of relationship savvy. Inspiring, believing in, and empowering others are all ways to develop trust. There is also a very personal element to trust and relationship savvy – leaders who show vulnerability, personal interest, and intentional purpose have a solid foundation for strong and meaningful relationships.

Cultural
How does a leader “read” the culture of an organization? “How things get done around here”, is a useful definition of culture.
Edgar Schein describes culture in Organizational Culture and Leadership as operating at three levels: artefacts, espoused values, and the deepest level of basic assumptions. It is important to understand the impact of artefacts, values, and assumptions in the way an organization operates, relationships are built, and work gets done. Schein expands his definition of culture as, “a multidimensional, multifaceted phenomenon, not easily reduced to a few major dimensions.” Leaders who have cultural savvy are truly skillful, connected, and effective.
Reading, imbibing, and interpreting culture are essential for a leader to navigate the nuances of daily decision making and relationship management. Being in touch with organizational tapestry and patterns ensures intelligent and insightful leadership behavior.

Savvy leadership may not be easily assessed in scientific ways, but it is observable – hence the need for leadership assessment to be a continual process and not just an aberration of talent management.