Why interim leadership makes sense

Yesterday, I left a 19-week assignment as interim news director at XETV San Diego 6. Today, the new news director is meeting the staff and starting work, a smooth, well planned, transition.

When I arrived at the station in April, I replaced a news director who was at the station for less than two years. I was presented to the staff as the interim leader who would help the station keep moving in the right direction and also assist in finding the next news director. That person would commit to three to five years, the amount of time necessary to take the striving news operation to new levels of success. About one month into the assignment the general manager asked if I would be interested in the permanent job. The difficult but correct reply was “no.”

This was my fourth interim leadership assignment and second as a TV news director. While it is good for my ego to report that each of the four times I’ve filled this role I have been offered the position on a permanent basis, that was never my goal. As an interim leader you do things a bit differently than someone in for the long haul. I hope to continue serving in interim leadership roles as part of my consulting business. So, at the risk of engaging in shameless self-promotion, I want to urge anybody who hires leaders to consider using individuals on an interim basis to serve as a bridge for organizations in transition.

Interim leadership is especially valuable for organizations overcoming serious challenges. A skilled interim leader often has to serve as an organizational healer or fixer. Sometimes it is simply a case of bringing new energy to an enterprise that may be stuck or languishing. Another advantage of hiring an interim leader is that he or she can quickly learn the organization’s personality and dynamics. This can help in recruiting the permanent leader who will follow. Most important, successful interim leadership requires substance. Knowing a business or organizational culture is critical. Interim leadership means getting to work quickly and setting the right tone from day one. That’s nearly impossible to do if you do not understand how things work.  

For me, the most gratifying part of going to work everyday is interacting with people. Although I am an early adopter of technology and recognize and appreciate the value of digital media, interacting with other human beings in face-to-face communication fulfills a specific human need. That daily social interaction is what I will miss most. When a new person comes in and engages with a positive approach and smile it serves as powerful medicine for those in the workplace who may have felt disconnected. Of course, this only works if the interim leader knows what he or she is doing. Empty suits with smiles can actually make things worse.

So thank you to my friends at XETV. I already miss being in the newsroom. And if this first blog after 19 weeks in the trenches of TV news sounds like a bit of an advertisement, I plead guilty. I would enjoy working with other stations and organizations where I can be of service.

I look forward to getting back to blogging about media, culture, communication, and inevitably a little politics around this time of year. Right now, on to projects put on hold and clients old and new. No doubt, I’ll also find a little time for tennis.