Kevin Briggs

An interim may be required to provide leadership, particularly where there is a major change happening in an organisation.

• the task being undertaken (finance is a particularly "task" orientated activity)
• the individuals involved in carrying out that task and in particular the respective "skill" and "will" of those individuals
• the teamwork that is needed to bring together the component parts of the task

There are a number of other skills that come with leadership. For example, creativity is needed to identify problems and to devise solutions, visioning is needed to ensure that everyone is onside when implementing a plan and communication is important so that everyone knows where the change process has reached in its timeline and how it is going forward and for motivation in ensuring that objectives are reached on time.

There are different levels at which leadership is required - where the interim is directly responsible for making the change, the interim is part of a team driving change or the interim is used to provide mentoring. Generally, leadership is something that is needed at all levels of the organisation, not just the senior levels where interims are typically found. As part of the management of these situations, I will always promote leadership skills at the appropriate levels of the client's staff.

A detailed examination of leadership and management