Particularly during times of great upheaval in a company, leaders may choose to hire the services of an interim manager, something that can feel quite threatening for existing staff and managers who may feel as though their own skills and experience have been overlooked. And how other managers react to an interim can do much to influence leadership’s perception of them and can potentially damage their careers.
Interim managers are typically senior-level business leaders who have a wide range of skills and knowledge acquired from working with a variety of companies. Their services typically prove invaluable in cases where a senior executive leaves suddenly, companies are reorganizing or drastic cutbacks need to be made to ensure the business’ survival, as well as when new systems or processes need to be brought in. Often these situations require difficult decisions and an objective view that can only come from an outsider.
Interims are normally given the requisite degree of authority to allow them to carry out their assignments, but they still rely heavily on the support of existing employees to achieve their objectives. Employers pay well for their services and expect tangible results, so any worker who fails to offer his or her full support to an interim manager risks being frowned upon.
If your company brings in an interim, therefore, always demonstrate the same respect that you would to any senior manager and put aside any feelings of insecurity that might stop you from giving your wholehearted support.