On 16 April 2010, Jaap Schaveling, lecturer in organizational dynamics and leadership and Program Manager of the Professional Interim Management (PIM) program, obtained his doctorate at Nyenrode. The title of his dissertation is ‘Succesvol interim-management; Meesterschap in een tijdelijke context’ (Successful interim management; Excellence in a temporary context). In this book, he describes eight factors that determine whether an interim manager will be successful or not. Prof. Dr. Jaap van Muijen and Prof. Dr. Kees van Montfort supervised his thesis work. Based on the thesis, Schaveling also wrote a practical guide containing tips and checklists: ‘Scoren met interim-management; de weg naar tevreden opdrachtgevers’ (Success in interim management; the path to satisfied clients).
An important subject but lightly researched
Interim managers are frequently taken on for a specific purpose, says Schaveling; for example, to resolve a defined problem or to initiate a desired cultural change. In certain cases, they are appointed simply because there is a temporary lack of a manager (‘keeping the seat warm’).
Interim managers are frequently taken on for a specific purpose, says Schaveling; for example, to resolve a defined problem or to initiate a desired cultural change. In certain cases, they are appointed simply because there is a temporary lack of a manager (‘keeping the seat warm’).
Schaveling already has a decade of experience in giving courses on the subject of interim management and temporary employment. It struck him that much of the knowledge in the field was of a fairly anecdotal nature. On the basis of what he heard from experts, he sometimes thought “That sounds good, but is it really the case? Is it really true? Many researchers have also drawn their conclusions from just a few case studies. Are these ‘truths’ only applicable in specific situations or are they also applicable in numerous other scenarios?”
The fact that there was virtually no existing empirical research on successful interim management spurred Schaveling to do it himself. Furthermore, he was becoming convinced that the trend towards the temporary is a topic of increasing importance in society. “Just look at football trainers or hospital managers. All of them occupy their positions on a temporary basis. We are always talking about globalization and sustainability. But if we take a close look, transience in employment is a much more important topic.”
Satisfaction as a measure of success
To measure the success of interim managers, Schaveling chose the satisfaction of the client as his benchmark. His central question was: ‘What factors contribute to the client’s satisfaction?’ The major reasons for selecting satisfaction were as follows. Firstly, satisfaction is a common factor in the wide variety of assignments. Secondly, the interim manager benefits in many ways if the client is satisfied. Other criteria were also considered but these proved not to be useful. Finally, as management author Peter Drucker said, “In the end, it is the client who pays the bill”.
To measure the success of interim managers, Schaveling chose the satisfaction of the client as his benchmark. His central question was: ‘What factors contribute to the client’s satisfaction?’ The major reasons for selecting satisfaction were as follows. Firstly, satisfaction is a common factor in the wide variety of assignments. Secondly, the interim manager benefits in many ways if the client is satisfied. Other criteria were also considered but these proved not to be useful. Finally, as management author Peter Drucker said, “In the end, it is the client who pays the bill”.
Clients were deliberately asked to give their measure of satisfaction according to a number of criteria because previous research had showed Schaveling “that while clients give interim managers an average score of 7 on a scale of 1 to 10, the interim managers rate themselves much more positively with a score of 9 or over.” As well as the clients, the interim managers themselves and employees had the opportunity to express an opinion on certain aspects. In total, 211 interim managers, 159 clients and 307 employees cooperated in the study. Fifty interim management agencies were involved in the 141 cases covered by the study.
Success factors: Individual
The factors that determine whether an interim manager’s client is satisfied with his performance and results relate in part to the interim manager as an individual.
The factors that determine whether an interim manager’s client is satisfied with his performance and results relate in part to the interim manager as an individual.
1. A balanced personality: self-confidence and emotional stability, even in stressful situations.
An interim manager has to be balanced, explains Schaveling. He or she should not be put off by every demand for attention or every token of resistance.
An interim manager has to be balanced, explains Schaveling. He or she should not be put off by every demand for attention or every token of resistance.
2. Having experience and knowledge that fit the assignment.
The knowledge and experience that the interim manager contributes are very important. Has he or she had to deal with the same kind of problem or scenario before?
The knowledge and experience that the interim manager contributes are very important. Has he or she had to deal with the same kind of problem or scenario before?
Success factors: Embedding
Another element of the success factors relates to the context in which the assignment is to be carried out: the embedding of the assignment in the organization.
Another element of the success factors relates to the context in which the assignment is to be carried out: the embedding of the assignment in the organization.
3. Skilled in power-play, but also able to act in a socially sensitive manner.
The combination of power skills and social sensitivity is important. You have to know where the power lies. On the one hand, as an interim manager you have to be able to recognize power games, play them yourself and also enjoy doing that. On the other hand, you have to coordinate actions in a socially sensitive manner, listen to what people say and act accordingly. Schaveling: “That’s why I refer to it as ‘acting with social sensitivity and with power skills’, because my research shows that successful interim managers have a perfect blend of these.”
The combination of power skills and social sensitivity is important. You have to know where the power lies. On the one hand, as an interim manager you have to be able to recognize power games, play them yourself and also enjoy doing that. On the other hand, you have to coordinate actions in a socially sensitive manner, listen to what people say and act accordingly. Schaveling: “That’s why I refer to it as ‘acting with social sensitivity and with power skills’, because my research shows that successful interim managers have a perfect blend of these.”
4. Delineating the assignment and approaching it in the context of improving the entire organization.
For an interim manager, the relationship with the rest of the organization is very important. While it is essential to properly delineate the assignment, states Schaveling, at the same time, it should not be forgotten that the interim manager has to help the organization as a whole to advance.
For an interim manager, the relationship with the rest of the organization is very important. While it is essential to properly delineate the assignment, states Schaveling, at the same time, it should not be forgotten that the interim manager has to help the organization as a whole to advance.
Success factors: Strategy
In terms of strategy during the assignment, the following success factors can be identified:
In terms of strategy during the assignment, the following success factors can be identified:
5. A good ‘fit’ at the start of the assignment through, among other things, a good relationship between the interim manager and the client, and clear agreements concerning the desired end result of the assignment.
A good interim manager must be able to fully understand and appreciate the client’s wishes. They have to be able to get along well together. It is also vitally important that the interim manager and the client come to an understanding concerning their mutual expectations.
A good interim manager must be able to fully understand and appreciate the client’s wishes. They have to be able to get along well together. It is also vitally important that the interim manager and the client come to an understanding concerning their mutual expectations.
6. A thorough diagnosis concerning the assignment, with a precise definition of the problem.
7. A structured approach to the assignment, with realistic goals and time frames and regular reporting on progress.
8. Orderly completion of the assignment, with sufficient opportunity for evaluation with the client and for a handover to a successor in order to safeguard the results.
To ensure client satisfaction, a structured implementation and an orderly completion of the assignment are essential. Making a diagnosis beforehand (What is going on? What is the real problem behind the question?) is of lesser importance when it comes to the client’s assessment in retrospect.
Extensive selection process is counter-productive
The study shows that following an extensive selection process, with a major role for the procurement department, is generally counter-productive when it comes to appointing an interim manager and does not lead to the recruitment of better-performing interim managers. Schaveling gives the following explanation for this: “Once you have a clear idea what kind of person you need, you can find that person fairly quickly. If it is not clear what criteria the interim manager has to meet, many people get involved in the selection process and then it takes a long time. The result is that the person who ends up doing the job finds themselves in a very awkward situation. In that case, it has already become virtually impossible to give complete satisfaction as an interim manager as the organization has no clear idea as to the type of person it wants.”
The study shows that following an extensive selection process, with a major role for the procurement department, is generally counter-productive when it comes to appointing an interim manager and does not lead to the recruitment of better-performing interim managers. Schaveling gives the following explanation for this: “Once you have a clear idea what kind of person you need, you can find that person fairly quickly. If it is not clear what criteria the interim manager has to meet, many people get involved in the selection process and then it takes a long time. The result is that the person who ends up doing the job finds themselves in a very awkward situation. In that case, it has already become virtually impossible to give complete satisfaction as an interim manager as the organization has no clear idea as to the type of person it wants.”
In addition, it has been shown that factors such as charismatic leadership, working on confidence in the organization, whether the interim manager is extrovert and friendly, and the influence of the client have little or no effect on the success of the assignment. Having a client who guards your back and provides feedback is also no guarantee of an interim manager’s success.
‘Meesterschap’
The title of Schaveling’s thesis includes the word ‘meesterschap’. This translates as ‘mastery’ or ‘excellence’. He explains: “By my definition, this covers not only craftsmanship in terms of content, but also excellence as a human being. A good interim manager is balanced and is also a master in the specific context.”
The title of Schaveling’s thesis includes the word ‘meesterschap’. This translates as ‘mastery’ or ‘excellence’. He explains: “By my definition, this covers not only craftsmanship in terms of content, but also excellence as a human being. A good interim manager is balanced and is also a master in the specific context.”
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