The demand for interim managers is rising. A growing number of companies rely on the services and expertise of interim managers to tackle certain types of problems. If taking up challenges is your dream, it might be time to take the great leap forwards! But do you have the required skills to become interim manager?
Good interim managers share the same competences that companies are looking for, that is to say, additional skills to the basic expertise of every profile.
For example, the most efficient interim managers have a great experience in obtaining great results throughout different high responsibility positions.
They usually also demonstrate expertise proper to a discipline, a particular industry or in closely linked fields.
In addition to a strong CV, the best managers are comfortable in uncertain circumstances linked to the profession. They are physically and mentally fit in order to tackle a new challenge every six months, and financially strong enough to be able to go through the unavoidable periods during which they do not have any assignment.
When they are at work, they have the required skills to quickly evaluate and analyse a brand new environment to be able to develop and present solutions within the agreed deadline and budget.
EVERY GOOD INTERIM MANAGER MUST DEMONSTRATE THE SIX FOLLOWING SKILLS:
1. Work without safety net
You must be able to react to every situation without necessarily having all the information at hand, to react to the demand and adapt yourself to make things move forward and, in the meantime, stay calm and keep a cool head.
2. Think in a strategic way
Interim managers must be able to count on their own initiative to obtain the desired answers. They must be able to collect information from different sources to analyse and synthesise them.
3. Understand the Client’s Business
Managers need to have a good understanding of the company they’re working for. The commercial aspects as well as the way the different departments of the organisation work and interact with one another. The manager’s expertise will have a determinant role to reach good results.
4. Creativity Management
Management requires to manage the other’s creativity to be able to distinguish the feasible projects from the unrealistic ones.
5. Objective planification
A great skill that good managers share is the ability to break down complex processes into understandable and easy steps. This needs an objectives-driven state of mind to make sure that every step reaches the expected result while assessing the already reached progress.
6. Work Under Pressure
Managers must be able to work in stressful situations without showing signs of irritation or anger. Being able to keep a cool head in each situation is crucial. It is important not to show yourself intimidated by the other members of the management team.
