Management Mistakes First-Time Interim Managers Make
Interim managers come to their first assignment with a lot of experience, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t prone to making some management mistakes.
Unlike traditional job roles, interim managers don’t have a lot of time to get comfortable before setting things straight. They have short learning curves to help them adjust quickly because the situation demands it.
Interim managers are most likely to enter organizations in the midst of a transition. Whether it’s a new project, a shift in strategy or utter chaos, they are there to lead and guide the company. However, just like their more permanent counterparts, interim managers are susceptible to making certain mistakes.
Management mistakes: Interim managers that over promise
One of the tasks faced by interim managers is diagnosing the problem rather than just treating the symptoms. That can mean allocating more time and energy towards unearthing the reasons why the company is having issues.
In the eagerness to please business owners and CEO’s, managers can often find themselves promising too much shortening the time to focus on what’s important. While it’s always good to overdeliver, the same cannot be said for making promises you can’t keep.
It’s better to make smaller, targeted promises that will resolve any problems the business is dealing with rather than grand promises that end up disappointing everybody.
Management mistakes: Interim managers that get lost in the details
Coming from a full-time management position requires you to limit your involvement in an organization. When you’re working in a position for a long time, it’s natural to be acquainted with all the details that drive the company. But in an interim role, your priorities solely lie in the big-picture stuff.
Rely on staff members and lower-level managers to make sure routine activities are on track. By delegating day-to-day tasks, interim managers are able to focus on long-term goals and strategy. Their prime concern is making sure daily objectives serve the overall strategy of the company.
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