Woe unto the interim leader. Must be strategic. But may not be the one who sees the strategy through. Must build the organization. But may be building it for someone else. Must manage the operations. But unpopular edicts can be delayed until the permanent leader shows up. As an interim leader, expect to deal with open hostility and passive aggressive behavior on a regular basis. The secret to success is to engage fully with the work itself while eschewing the perks of the job. Maximize the impact. Minimize the damage.
BRAVE Interim Management
- Environment: Understand the context including whether the job is yours to lose or not yours.
- Values: Understand what matters and why – what you must accomplish and what principles you cannot violate.
- Attitude: Adopt the right attitude for the situation, making appropriate strategic, posture and cultural choices.
- Relationships: Whether the leadership role is permanent of interim, the heart of leadership is always connecting with other.
- Behaviors: In an interim role think in terms of two timeframes for impact: things that impact current results and things that lay the foundation for future results.
