An interim manager and consultants you hire by the job are each key assets at times when the business is being restructured or needs to go in a new direction. What is the best choice for you, given that there are pros and cons to each and that your business will have specific needs?
There are lots of ways in which an interim manager and a consultant can provide quite similar advantages to your organization. They will work with you as much as you require, with no full time employment commitment. Each will be trying to create a successful portfolio for him or herself and so will be trying to get things to work for that purpose as well as for whatever results you need.
Expertise, often experience-based, is provided by interim and consultancy and results can be delivered in a timely manner. So what are the key differences?
Well, it can’t be denied that, based on a daily rate of pay, interim managers are cheaper. If you need someone for a short period of time, consultancy may be right for you. If your company needs to hire someone to improve your business who will return frequently or work there for a long period of time, interim management may be the better option.
Interim managers tend to be at the lower level of an organization, incorporating themselves with staff and becoming involved in daily operations to reflect changes they have deemed as necessary. On the other hand, consultants don’t tend to incorporate themselves directly into the organization, but rather come in to talk to senior management and, based on the situation at hand, advise you on the solutions you need and leave again.
There are some myths about interims and consultants that could stand in the way of a company being willing to hire either of them. Some people wonder if interim managers can equal the expertise of consultants within specific fields. An employer, however, should consider that an interim manager may have more direct experience on the ground. Consultants, who often come from far more senior positions, may not be as experienced with the logistical barriers to implementing a strategic plan.
A consultant would be more apt to sell extra services when providing guidance on a specific situation. But that might be an advantage or a drawback, depending on what your organization's needs are. You could discover that you need more services and that now you have access to them where you wouldn't have had it previously.
Let's bring it down to the least common denominator. A consultant is equipped to meet with senior management to advise ways that change can be planned within the organization. After this discussion, they will likely leave but with an option for future contact if required. By contrast, an interim manager will evaluate your needs, implement change with your staff, and provide you with regular progress reports.
It's your decision what option to choose after weighing your organization's needs, how its work is accomplished and the goal you're after.
There are lots of ways in which an interim manager and a consultant can provide quite similar advantages to your organization. They will work with you as much as you require, with no full time employment commitment. Each will be trying to create a successful portfolio for him or herself and so will be trying to get things to work for that purpose as well as for whatever results you need.
Expertise, often experience-based, is provided by interim and consultancy and results can be delivered in a timely manner. So what are the key differences?
Well, it can’t be denied that, based on a daily rate of pay, interim managers are cheaper. If you need someone for a short period of time, consultancy may be right for you. If your company needs to hire someone to improve your business who will return frequently or work there for a long period of time, interim management may be the better option.
Interim managers tend to be at the lower level of an organization, incorporating themselves with staff and becoming involved in daily operations to reflect changes they have deemed as necessary. On the other hand, consultants don’t tend to incorporate themselves directly into the organization, but rather come in to talk to senior management and, based on the situation at hand, advise you on the solutions you need and leave again.
There are some myths about interims and consultants that could stand in the way of a company being willing to hire either of them. Some people wonder if interim managers can equal the expertise of consultants within specific fields. An employer, however, should consider that an interim manager may have more direct experience on the ground. Consultants, who often come from far more senior positions, may not be as experienced with the logistical barriers to implementing a strategic plan.
A consultant would be more apt to sell extra services when providing guidance on a specific situation. But that might be an advantage or a drawback, depending on what your organization's needs are. You could discover that you need more services and that now you have access to them where you wouldn't have had it previously.
Let's bring it down to the least common denominator. A consultant is equipped to meet with senior management to advise ways that change can be planned within the organization. After this discussion, they will likely leave but with an option for future contact if required. By contrast, an interim manager will evaluate your needs, implement change with your staff, and provide you with regular progress reports.
It's your decision what option to choose after weighing your organization's needs, how its work is accomplished and the goal you're after.
