Interim Focus: Public Sector
29 January 2008 by
Given how well established the use of interim managers in the public sector now is, it seems counter-intuitive to point out that the sector was actually slow to pick up on the concept. There was no real understanding of the role, and many department and agency heads were unclear about the difference between temporary staff and consultants. They confused interim day rates with permanent salaries, failing to appreciate that interim managers are a flexible cost, not a fixed overhead.
Those days are over. Interim executives are a recognised management tool by the public sector; furthermore, demand for their services has increased. We, as citizens, expect more from our politicians and public services. Central and local government have to tackle new tasks, increasing the need for specialists for specific projects. In the past this might have been a management consultant, appropriate for a very large piece of work where an organisation is undergoing a seismic shift, but if you want a commercial contract renegotiating, or a bonus scheme put in place, an interim manager is a more suitable option.
Of course the public sector isn’t a single homogenous entity, it covers a multiplicity of departments, agencies and organisations across both central and local government. But one thing both arms of government have in common is that they are facing a great deal of change: the savings demanded by the Gershon review; local government reform in some areas from multi-tier to single tier authorities; monumental challenges for the NHS; the dynamic, fast-paced agenda in education.
Interim managers aren’t daunted by all this upheaval, on the contrary their strength lies in bringing fresh thinking and an outside perspective, in embedding good practice and leaving a legacy of improvement. The skills interim managers bring from other worlds are tried and tested skills: the interim executive appointed to a project has probably carried out the required task not just once before but twice or three times.
Many interim managers from both the commercial world and the public sector welcome the chance to get back to their core skills after years of sitting in board and departmental meetings. They don’t want to squander what they’ve learned. Many retired senior executives relish the opportunity to help others, mentoring or coaching in their area of expertise. Successful interim managers have a rich seam of experience and are able to draw on it. They are flexible thinkers, able to see a situation in the round and to understand the complexity and political sensitivities of the public sector. It is no mean feat to come from the commercial world where the bottom line is king and to be able to deliver effectively in the public sector where commercial imperatives don’t always apply.
There may be a good business case for a certain strategy but if it isn’t 100% inclusive, or likely to be electorally unpopular, or even against party policy, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to implement.
In our experience many people who’ve spent their working life in the commercial world get a real thrill from the impact they have. They feel they’re operating at the heart of government, be it central or local. Those who’ve already worked in the sector simply get a lot of satisfaction from knowing that their commitment to public service doesn’t have to stop at retirement.