by 
As a consultant with a small business, I carefully stock my toolbox of what I can do. I invest in learning skills that could help me do my work better (plus new skills can be fun!). My consulting firm is only a few years old. I may find a new direction I want to pursue more than what I enjoy now. Broadening what I can do opens up my business to new clients. It also gives existing clients access to a service they might need one day.
One of the skills I came across recently is the field of interim, or transitional, leadership. Most people know an interim leader who has stepped in for a vacancy in their team or organization. But would this be a new hammer for my toolbox, or another bottle of dried-up super glue?
Third Sector Company offers an Interim Executive Academy for future interim leaders. I researched their course and attended an information session. I interviewed an instructor affiliated with the course. I met with a few consultants who have served as interim leaders in their career. I also read Third Sector Company’s report from their inaugural Interim Leadership Summit.
what is an interim leader?
Interim leaders step in to high-level positions at an organization when someone leaves. They often fill the role of an Executive Director or Chief Executive Officer. Many companies hire interim leaders for other C-level or senior roles, too. These are usually people who already know the company and how it works. But there’s a surprising number of professional transitional leaders, too. Here’s what I found most interesting from the information I gathered.
benefits of transitional leadership as a career
Unique skill set. Transitional leadership demands a different set of skills than longer-term (“permanent”) roles. Anyone joining an organization has to learn and navigate their new company’s culture. But transitional leaders have to assess that culture and then improve it. The industry seems to use “transitional” leadership as the preferred term. I’m sure some people perceive “interim” roles to be a gap filler until the “real” leader shows up. Instead, transitional leaders use their time to confront racial or gender bias. They can redesign the leadership structure or reimagine the org chart. They can adapt a stagnant legacy organization into something more fresh or bold. It takes talent to do all that, raise money, make day-to-day decisions, and support a search for a new executive.
Change agent. Third Sector argues that interim leaders should transform the organizations they serve. It can destabilize an organization when one or more executives resigns. Or instability could have been what caused them to leave. An interim leader can act as a steady hand or someone who is willing to make hard decisions for the good of the company.
Independent work. Transitional leaders as a profession is a lot like independent consulting. They may hold executive or C-level roles but they aren’t employees of the company they work for. Transitional leaders often contract for a set period of time, for 6-18 months, more or less. Most negotiate their own salary and contract when they take on a role. The company’s budget may of course limit what they earn.
liabilities of transitional leadership as a career
Racism and queerphobia. The pool of interim leaders is about as diverse as nonprofit organizations—that is to say, not enough. BIPOC transitional leaders identified racism as a significant factor in their work. They reported having to prove themselves more often to skeptical boards or staff. These pressures may exist for BIPOC freelancers and consultants, too. I’m often pretty clear with my clients about those tensions. I’m not opposed to exercising a contract termination clause if I need to. But a medium-term significant leadership role may not be as easy to abandon.
Inconsistent expectations. Not all boards understand the work of a transitional leader. Some don’t have experience with succession or with working with an external consultant. Some organizations may have expected a gap filler for the role. They may not be comfortable with the culture or process changes that an interim leader wants to make. Most companies choose a transitional leader through a structured selection process. Some choose that leader based on who they know, or who is around. Mismatched expectations can add conflict to an already difficult environment.
Limits of possible change. Transitional leaders need clear expectations, too. Transitional leaders are by default temporary. Few stay on as permanent leaders after their contract ends. We may have to choose the most important changes that are possible in the time we have.
why it’s not for me
I explored transitional leadership as a skillset for the past several months. I learned that it’s a fascinating profession with a variety of interesting people. In the end, I decided it wasn’t for me. Here’s why.
Time commitment. I was looking for skills I could add to my consulting work or bring in new clients. Transitional leadership, when done well, is an entire career. It’s a full-time job that can last for many months. I like working with a few clients at a time with overlapping schedules. I’d also struggle with the scope creep of trying to achieve too much in a short amount of time.
Executive-level experience. Most interim executive directors have already been executive directors. I rose into senior leadership before I started consulting. I’ve spent time working with and for boards of directors. But I’ve never run an organization larger than Future Emergent (and I lead an unruly team of 1). Most interim leader search committees are looking for someone with that past experience. No amount of training would make the case well if a board expected me to come in with that. I’d be relying hard on a network of people who know me and need this particular service.
Yeah, the racism. Being Brown and queer has granted me unique ways of experiencing the world. It’s taken a lot of work to move through the storms of bias I’ve felt at the jobs I’ve had. As a consultant, I can choose the extent to which I deal with that every day. It’s hard to imagine entering a full-time job where that risk is present again. It’s likely that being the executive director could make the pain even more acute. While the industry is driving progress in this area, I’d rather stick to the fights I’m already in.
in the interim
I left my research feeling inspired that this is some people’s entire careers. I’m not disappointed that it’s not for me, and I’d never say never. Maybe having a good time, not a long time, might be exactly the way I want to work.
my name is josh martinez. i have always loved trying to understand systems, and the systems that built those systems. i spend a lot of time thinking about how to get there from here.
i own and operate a consulting practice, Future Emergent.
say hello: josh[at]bethefuture.space
