The word “interim” often carries the wrong connotation — as though it were a temporary fix, simply buying time. The reality is far more complex and interesting.
Why companies choose an interim leader
Interim leadership is the right choice in three core situations: an unexpected leadership vacuum, where the organisation cannot afford a lengthy search process; change management, where an internal leader carries too much historical baggage; and a competence gap, where the required expertise does not exist within the organisation and building it would take too long.
All three share a common denominator: the situation calls for fast, competent, and emotionally neutral action. An interim leader brings experience without organisational politics.
The best interim leader is one whose primary goal is to make themselves redundant as quickly as possible.
What interim leadership is not
An interim leader is not a consultant who gives recommendations and leaves. They are a full-time leader with full accountability — the team, the results, the decisions. The difference from consultancy is fundamental: an interim leader does not write reports, they lead.
Nor is interim leadership crisis management in the negative sense of the word. Many of the best interim projects take place in well-functioning organisations going through a planned transformation — a merger, restructuring, or entry into a new market.
How to assess whether an interim leader is the right choice
Three questions that help make the decision: Is the problem clearly defined and time-bound? Does the organisation have a structure to be led, or does one first need to be created? Is the board prepared to give the interim leader real decision-making authority?
If the answer to all three is yes, interim leadership is likely the right choice. If the answer to the first question is no — the problem is vague and open-ended — it is worth investing in defining the problem before bringing in an interim leader.