When you’re looking to hire an interim manager, there’s a few factors you’ll want to keep in mind. Although they aren’t going to be with the company long-term, it’s still important to take your time to ensure you’re finding the best fit for the company.
Here, we’ll look at some of the key factors that make a good interim manager. This will help you to identify what to look out for in order to choose the best interim manager for your business.
They should have confidence
One of the key things any interim manager should have is confidence. It takes a lot to come into a company temporarily to take over. So, they’re going to need to be able to come in and have the confidence to lead the team in accordance with their experience.
They will know when it’s time to take risks and be able to speak out if they see something that clearly isn’t working within the business. Now, there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. While the manager should be confident in their abilities, they also need to be approachable and likeable too.
A proven record of success
Experience is a big thing you’ll want to look at. Does the interim manager have a proven record of success in a relatable field? Can they show you how they helped previous clients? If not, you should definitely see that as a red flag. A good interim manager will be able to show you how they’ve helped previous businesses.
While you can hire an interim manager directly, it’s often best to enlist the services of a professional agency. Hiring one from an interim recruitment agency gives you a lot more confidence that they are going to be qualified and great at what they do.
Friendliness and approachability
Even though the interim manager isn’t going to be staying in the role long-term, it’s still important for them to develop a good relationship with the team. This means they’re going to need to be friendly and approachable. Previous studies have shown that employees want a manager who is approachable and supportive.
If the team don’t feel like they can approach the new manager, you’re not going to see any significant results. In order for the manager to do their job, they need good communication with the team and honest feedback from employees. So, if nobody is comfortable approaching them, they aren’t going to get this.
These are just some of the factors you should consider when looking for the right interim manager. If you take the time to find the right fit, you’ll gain the most benefits. Interim managers can be extremely useful for businesses, provided they know what to look out for.
