some shortcomings – of “Square pegs in square holes resourcing”
- Missing out on fresh thinking and other industry innovations.
- Lost opportunities, evolution rather than revolution
- Cloning specifics rather than looking for differentiation
- CV keyword matching without reference to delivery achievements
quote ends.. – Diane McWade
These are the skills and provenance of a professional interim manager that enables them to de risk and deliver considerably more value in a CHANGE ENVIRONMENT? Gap management suits this “exact fit model” and if it’s cheap may be ideal solution.
The difficulty technically here is the people side in the adversity of the current climate. Decisions are made around certainty, and even if its a WRONG decision – people get their certainty and comfort through ticking the boxes, and prefer to go with a solution they therefore can digest more easily even if its flawed. Like a bank doing a IBA – pre insolvency, that sits on a desk, costs £40k and collects dust. Providers too mitigate the risk of delivery by searching for the exact fit, as contractually they take no responsibility, save their reputation for delivery.
It’s easy just to say yes, and just give the client what they ask for. I met one of our clients last week major plc and he said why can you guys make a difference when we have used interims for 6 years and it has not worked? As long as the interim is “trading down their experience “it is often about having the experience and courage to challenge the clients thinking to try and deliver a more successful outcome (or would they not have done it themselves?).
The lack of certainty in the current climate will make this “certainty buying behaviour” even more extreme, and is likely to push out the high value added professional interim solution. I would add someone that has come from the industry with an exact fit – will not challenge the norms of the industry. Its the way we are and our subconscious reacting automatically to the familiar – like driving a car and wondering if you looked at the last roundabout or in my case – if wondering if there was a police car on the roundabout!
The other aspect that can be missed is the reading circumstances i.e. is it a turnaround, realignment, what’s the culture like, what’s the willingness and urgency to change etc. That is where interim assignments come unstsuck PS I do think providers do provide a good resourcing solution in a particular set of circumstances!
We find there are 2 aspects, the capability to hit the ground running, and the capability to deliver value.
Any more thoughts…?
