The Interim Question, Part 2
What to do when leadership comes with an asterisk
This is the second post in a three-part series. Read The Interim Question, Part 1 here.
You got the interim role—congratulations!
(Of course you did, because you’re a badass.)
But suddenly you have an “oh sh*t” moment. Now what? The rubber is about to meet the road in a big way.
It’s one thing to think about the role and another to have to execute in it. Are you even up for the task?
(Of course you are, because you’re a badass. Also, kick that imposter syndrome to the curb—let’s go!)
Now you have a whole new set of questions. You’re no longer questioning whether to take the role, but rather, how to operate in it:
Am I there to babysit or to lead?
Should I make changes—or keep the status quo?
What should I be aware of or consider as I step into the role?
Own the role
The biggest mistake people make in an interim role is taking the “interim” part too seriously.
Put interim in your email signature—if you must—and then forget about it.
You are the Director or CIO or CEO or whatever other role you’re filling. You might be in the position for a week, a month, or a year (heaven help you if you’re an interim for more than a year) but you are the role—until you’re not.
So own it. Do the job to the best of your ability. Make the best decisions possible for the long-term benefit of the organization (read Stop Overthinking Decisions and Make the #&% Decision, Already).
As one friend and newly-appointed interim recently shared:
“I decided that I am going to go all in and make smart decisions. At the end if I set up a future that others will succeed in, then I led the right cause.”
To change or not to change
Given the charge to “own the role,” you might think that you have a mandate for change.
Not necessarily.
Ownership requires understanding and alignment with the direction set by your board, president, or upstream leadership—and making the right decisions for the organization, now and for the long term.
Sometimes that means maintaining the status quo. Other times it means making modest, incremental changes. Or less modest changes (read The Secret to Change).
And occasionally, you may have a mandate to make massive, disruptive changes at the expense of the permanent position—creating a clean slate for whomever comes next (best to know this up-front since your post-interim options will be limited).
There is no one charter for interims. You’ll have to determine the right course of action for you, your role, and your organization at that moment.
What you don’t know
Even though you were a part of your organization prior to the interim role, there are likely things that you don’t know—potentially a lot of things you don’t know.
You don’t know what you don’t know. Nor will people always tell you.
Approach the role as if you were brand new. Set aside what you think you know. Ask questions. Lots and lots of questions.
Seek out contrarian perspectives. Gather input from team members, stakeholders, customers (if you have them). Listen closely and without defensiveness.
Look for what’s not working, and pay careful attention to what’s not being said.
When you look at your organization with fresh eyes, you might just be surprised by what you learn.
And one more thing …
In no particular order, here are a few additional things to consider when you step into your new role:
Sometimes your alignment with the previous leader is a benefit; other times a liability you’ll need to distance yourself from. Figure out which one is the case in your situation and act accordingly.
You will now be managing your former peers. The peers you were friends with, went to lunch with, and genuinely liked—and the peers you didn’t. You cannot pick favorites or be perceived to have them. You will need to set appropriate boundaries with the former and treat the latter with the same level of respect as your friends.
Being at a new level can be lonely. Folks you used to confide in now report to you and confiding in them may be unwelcome, inappropriate, or potentially prohibited, depending on the sensitivity of the information. Find your circle of friends and advisors you can turn to for gut checks and guidance.
Stay tuned for part 3 of The Interim Question: what happens if you don’t get the permanent role?
Bonus read: Not everyone wants to be a leader—and not everyone should be one.
