Interim Manager or Temporary Manager - Which?

In today's climate, where fast change is a part of life and industry needs more highly talented, flexible folks who may be able to bring experience and change to the table, the requirement for interim management is growing at double digit rates year on year. Notwithstanding this though, a poll indicated that over fifty percent of Chairpersons haven't used interim bosses and there remains an extraordinary quantity of confusion about what interim chiefs are and how they are different from non-permanent chiefs.
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Temporary Managers

Temporary managers are probably going to be "in between permanent roles" and have an interest in opportunities that are probably going to stretch them and add weight to their CV, in order that they can get a better permanent role next time.

However this often implies more risk for clients ; and a longer time till worth starts to be delivered. While they may be fine working for an organisation that they've worked in for years, how can they fare in a wholly different place without their common "support systems"? How convincing will they be? Will you be ready to depend on them to represent you reasonably in your organisation or to your clients or suppliers? Are their interpersonal abilities up to it? Will they deliver the results.

Interim Managers

By contrast, interims are instantly available senior executive chiefs who became interim chiefs as a career choice. They are independent, highly flexible people who run their own corporations and operate with pro indemnity insurance. They are un-biased by company politics and must have excellent communication and interpersonal talents to deliver leads to a wide selection of different organisations.

Their credibility and technical experience needs to be complete because they are expected to "hit the deck running" and deliver results not just suggestions. Some say they are senior operatives and specialists - "all rolled into one!" Since interim chiefs can cost anything between $ 1000-$ 2k per day and interim management assignments can last anything from a quarter to 2 years, clients and interim management service suppliers alike, can't afford to take chances.

In reality, only people who have track records that demonstrate they have the power to prosper in fresh environments and deliver a brilliant return on clients' investments can be thought about for such roles. Interim management assignments are thus much more likely to be higher risk / higher price / higher profile roles.

For instance regularly organisations will utilize an interim boss when they need immediate support for a turnaround or when there's a unexpected exit of a key executive ; or maybe to release another for non-routine jobs as the business goes thru a period of hiatus. Frequently though, interim managers are brought in because of their track record for delivering enhancements in their particular expert discipline or industry ; for instance to supply synergies following a purchase or amalgamation or to introduce best practise processes and organisational structures.
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Conclusion

Temporary managers may be appropriate for lower risk projects, but there is a big difference between temporary and interim managers. Interim managers are executive "big hitters" with track records of delivering results; who specialise in high value / high risk assignments and approach them with a very practical "hands on" "get the job done" style. They're more expensive, but for higher profile projects they're a low-risk solution when it comes to implementing change.