With my husband recovering from knee surgery and a recent trip back to the States to support my dad through a major surgery, I’ve been reflecting on care-taking. What does it mean to support others during times of vulnerability and uncertainty? These situations often arise without warning and with no manual to guide us. It can be a challenge to define the role and to find the balance between being hands-on (too overbearing!) and hands-off (not helpful enough!).
Currently, many of my clients' businesses face uncertainty and transition—downsizing, restructuring, and employment churn. I’m seeing more folks stepping into “interim” or “acting” roles to plug gaps and keep things afloat. As they fill in for absent colleagues or step into unexpectedly vacated positions, they are, in a sense, care-taking. But what is expected of an interim leader? Is the goal to care for the business and “do no harm,” maintaining normalcy? Or can the interim leader tweak and make improvements? While experiences vary across organizations, here are some key recommendations for interim leaders:
- Set Expectations. Clarify your mandate for the interim role. How are the ‘powers that be’ seeing your time in the role? What are the key responsibilities and deliverables? Understand your decision-making power, key stakeholders, and their reporting needs. Getting answers may take more than one conversation and expectations can evolve, so keep communication regular and open.
- Plan for the End. Know what happens when the interim period ends. What are the intentions of the organization in regard to more permanently filling the role? Will you have the option to apply? Do you want it? Will your old role be available? recognize or make visible the How will the efforts contributions you’ve made in the interim role be recognized or made visible?
- Build Trust. Your team, who may have been your peers, needs to understand what your interim leadership means for them. As interim leadership tends to happen during times of change and uncertainty, it’s important to set clear expectations and reinforce key company messages and culture. Clarify your leadership and demonstrate your understanding of key organizational drivers to build trust and credibility with your team and new peers.
- Understand New Implications. Higher roles may come with new legal exposures and responsibilities for business continuity. Clarify your legal accountabilities and your role in supporting the business through emergencies or disruptions.
- Take Notes. Even in a “do no harm” mode, you can observe and note potential opportunities and changes. Keep a journal to record insights, questions, and opportunities for structural, process, or strategic changes.
- Focus on Learning. And, of course, don’t forget to reflect on your own personal and professional growth! You’re likely networking with higher-level stakeholders, gaining strategic insights, and understanding organizational dynamics and politics better. This experience will prepare you to permanently inhabit the interim role or ramp up to future roles inside or outside your organization.
As a “care-taker” in an interim or acting leadership role, it can be challenging to understand expectations and find the right balance between maintaining the status quo and driving change. By thoughtfully and deliberately approaching the role, interim leaders can effectively support their organizations through times of transition and emerge having grown and developed from the experience.
For more on how to succeed in an interim or acting role, read this: https://hbr.org/2021/03/how-to-step-in-as-an-interim-manager
