A review of effective interim leadership and management: a cyclical model of interim assignments

Purpose The purpose of this study is to carry out a literature review on interim leadership and management focusing on interim assignment performance and the antecedent characteristics of effective interim leaders. Design/methodology/approach A targeted review of the literature on the literature on interim leadership and management is carried out and reported. Findings A cycle of interim assignments is proposed consisting of four stages, preparation, entry, delivery and exit. Individual characteristics seen as antecedents of effectiveness are then applied to each of these stages. Practical implications The interim assignment cycle proposed in this paper can help to address gaps in the literature and aid the development of methods and tools for selection of interims and management of effectiveness during assignments. Originality/value This paper has an original approach in providing a model through which interim assignments can be better understood.

Effective interim leadership and management: development of a cyclical model of interim assignments

PurposeThis paper reviews literature on interim leadership and management through the lens of effective interim performance. The purpose of this review is to advance understanding of interim assignment performance and the antecedent individual psychological characteristics of effective interim leaders and managers, to improve the practice of managing interim leaders from a human resources (HR) perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reports a targeted review of the literature on interim leadership and management.FindingsThe main proposition from this review is that the influence of individual factors on interim performance operates within the stages and contexts of assignments. Accordingly, the authors propose a framework of the demands on interim assignments (the interim assignment cycle), comprising stages of preparation, entry, delivery and exit. The paper subsequently reviews evidence of the potential individual characteristics (focussing on individual differences in personality, leadership approach, motivation and competencies) of effective preparation and entry to an assignment, actions and performance during an assignment and exit/disengagement.Practical implicationsThe findings of the review have implications for the selection and placement of interims into organizations and their management once appointed.Originality/valueThe main original contribution of the paper is to provide a framework around which interim assignments can be modelled and better understood. The paper discusses implications for future research, theory and human resource management practice and calls for a renewed research effort in this critical area of management and leadership.

Transitional Leadership of Advisors as a Facilitator of Successors’ Leadership Construction

Succession literature addressed factors affecting the development of successors’ leadership skills. Yet the role professional advisors play in this process is not well understood. This study contrasts the detailed descriptions of four advisor-directed leadership development processes, to suggest a grounded theory of how advisors can facilitate the construction of successors’ leadership. Adopting an insider–outsider approach to the collection and analysis of ethnographic data, the study revealed that the assumption of a transitional leadership role by advisors—an interim leadership held by the advisor while supporting the successor’s leadership development—was critical to moving the succession process forward.

“We Aren’t Looking at This as an Audition”: Exploring Interim Leadership in College Athletics

Interim coaches have become commonplace in college athletics. With much at stake, they must act as leaders despite the constraints that accompany interim status. This case study provides an initial examination of interim leadership in the domain of college athletics by focusing on a specific high-profile interim coach’s initial press conference. The authors specifically consider the content of The Ohio State University football coach Luke Fickell’s first press conference after being named interim head coach. Their analysis reveals that Fickell strategically managed the interim label and the temporal nature of the interim role, balanced service goals and career-aspirant ones, and performed collective identity through a variety of means. The implications of these practices for interim coaches in college athletics are discussed.