The Interim Question, Part 1
Should you say yes to the role?
Retirements may seem random, but they’re often timed to the end of a calendar or fiscal year—or the academic year.
Which means they’re getting announced at colleges and universities around the country right about … <checks watch> … now.
A retirement announcement creates an opening for organizations to reshape the future and for next-level leaders to step into it.
In theory, anyway.
That ability to step up often comes with a caveat—the dreaded “interim” title. It can trigger your imposter syndrome and surface all sorts of other feels:
Am I just a placeholder? Do they not like me? Why don’t they trust me? Am I not good enough? How will I feel if I don’t get the permanent role? What does this mean for my career?
Is it right for you?
The real question isn’t whether you’re capable. It’s whether the role serves you.
To take the role or not, that is the question—and the answer depends on your motivation:
Are you interested in testing your leadership at the next level, in a low-risk way?
Do you aspire to become a [insert role here] and want to gain in-role experience?
Would you want—or not want—the permanent position?
Do you want to work for, or have anything to learn from, the leader above you?
There’s often very little risk in taking an interim role. You get to try it on—while still having a position to fall back on if it doesn’t work out. Whether you’d want to return to your current position after having experienced the higher-level role is an entirely different question, however (and one best left for another time).
From interim to permanent
There are no guarantees with interim positions. Some organizations prioritize internal promotions and will want to move you from interim to permanent once you’re able to prove yourself.
Other organizations view the interim title as truly short-term and separate from the search for a permanent leader. But your incumbent experience could still give you a leg up. After all, you’re already in the seat, doing the role—you’re a known entity.
Being known can also work against you. Your reputation—or your alignment with current leadership—may be too much to overcome. Some organizations will want an outsider to come in and make a change—particularly if the team is perceived as needing improvement.
In some cases, the interim is charged with making changes that are likely to be disruptive and unwelcome—clearing the way for a new leader to come in without having the taint of that change on them.
Understanding your organization’s stance on interim positions—as well as the charter for the person in the role—can help you decide if this is the role for you.
Making the call … and what happens next
In most cases, there’s far more upside than downside to saying yes. The experience can position you—for this role or the next one, in this organization or another.
Once you’ve decided to take the role 😉, you might find yourself wondering:
Should I make changes or simply “hold the fort” until a permanent leader is appointed?
What should I be aware of or consider as I step into the role?
What happens if I don’t get the permanent role?
All great questions! Stay tuned for the answers in an upcoming post.
I’ll tackle these questions alongside any others you might have—send them to me directly or post them in comments below.
Bonus read: Every high-achiever I know struggles with imposter syndrome from time to time. Whether an interim or permanent role—you’ve got this!
