The misconception
The biggest misconception about interim management is that short means weak. “He’s only temporary”, meant as a limitation, experienced as freedom.
Someone who comes in for 12 or 18 months has no time for politics. No time to settle in. No time to build popularity. Only time to deliver.
Why interim management works
No political baggage. Someone from outside has no internal allies to protect and no old decisions to defend. That allows a clear view, and clear decisions.
Up to speed immediately. A good interim manager has seen similar situations many times. He recognises the patterns quickly: where is the friction? Who is blocking, and why? What needs to change first?
Results as the foundation. An interim mandate is almost always tied to results. That sharpens the focus. Activities that don’t contribute to the goal are dropped, more consistently than is possible internally.
An example from my practice
In a field marketing mandate for an international FMCG group in Switzerland, I took on leadership responsibility for a large team during a transition phase. Structural problems, communication gaps between marketing and sales, missing management systems.
In 18 months we increased revenue by 59%. Not through magic, but through consistent structural work: shared goals, clear roles, daily steering, direct communication.
What might have taken years internally, getting permission, building consensus, addressing concerns, could be decided in weeks.
What companies underestimate
The biggest mistake is to see interim management as a stopgap. As something to bridge the time until the right person is found.
The smartest companies use interim management strategically: for defined transformation phases, for market entry mandates, for building new business areas. Because they understand that focus and experience together deliver faster than any internal appointment.
What I look for
I most like working in situations where something needs to change, and someone has the courage to actually do it. Corporations in transformation, scale-ups on the way to their next growth stage, organisations that understand their biggest blocker is internal.
If you recognise yourself in one of these scenarios: let’s talk.