
The psychology of (interim) leadership in the project economy
Interview with Yves Nuyts, CEO Allimex
With over 30 years of experience, most of which in leadership roles, Yves Nuyts is an exceptionally engaging interlocutor when it comes to analyzing psychological processes at work, particularly in changing environments. The man from Geel, Belgium, has built an exceptionally rich career. He has evolved into a unique people manager, with a strong drive, always result-oriented and to this day remarkably eager to learn.
He alternated positions as General Manager at DHL Supply Chain in Eindhoven and AviaPartner Belgium with temporary C-level missions in various sectors, including construction, transport and aviation. Restructurings, acquisitions, transformations and process optimizations… none of the most sensitive challenges at the corporate level are unfamiliar to Yves.
In short, the ideal person to interview about “The psychology of leadership in the project economy: from temporary teams to sustainable success.”
The interview
TIP-IM: What is your perspective on the evolution of effective leadership over the past 30 years?
Yves: I distinguish two significant evolutions. Firstly, today there is more data-driven leadership, whereas in the past, intuition often played a more important role. Secondly, internationalization, regardless of whether we are talking about large or smaller companies.
TIP-IM: And what psychological qualities do these evolutions require from leaders?
Yves: If the client is a board of directors or a consortium of shareholders, external solutions to problems are more readily sought, whereas in the past, more reliance was placed on the know-how of the existing team. I call this “emotionless”, less emotionally charged decisions.
If you enter a family-led company where a problem arises, emotion remains a very driving factor. You have to handle this very cautiously in your change trajectory. For example, you might have a founding father of a company with very strong competencies in sales but less strong in corporate governance, resulting in a significant discrepancy with shareholder expectations. The decision-making process is paradoxically sometimes much longer, because it is much more emotional, than in larger companies with a board of directors and shareholders, where decisions are made more soberly.
TIP-IM: Does this require a great psychological adaptability from an interim manager depending on each assignment?
Yves: As an interim manager, you indeed need to sense that the solutions you bring can be presented in different ways. As an interim manager, you must have the sensitivity to properly understand the corporate politics. In larger companies, as an interim CEO, you will gain more power and autonomy to make decisions.
TIP-IM: How do you see this evolving further?
Yves: I think the volatility of the market will become even greater. Where in the past you would go to people within the company with 15-20 years of seniority to solve problems, in the future, you will increasingly call upon ad hoc solutions. The real challenge for the interim manager is to help implement this within the organization in a sustainable way. You will also have to walk a tightrope when pointing out what exactly is not functioning well, where changes need to come without putting a particular department on the spot.
TIP-IM: How do you achieve cohesion, motivation and trust among the involved teams?
Yves: You must first look at the profiles within the team. How do people profile themselves as leaders or followers? Do the people who profile themselves as leaders have the competencies? Are they artificial or organic leaders? Give the organic leaders the space to emerge and value them. Then you see that the structure intertwines very strongly at the bottom. Those who behave as leaders through political moves should be given a side role where they are no longer a determining factor within the whole. As an interim manager, you then gradually let this go to see that structure grow further. After 25 years of experience, you now see how you can accelerate and strengthen such cohesion within a structure.
In the past, it was mainly a matter of power management. Now I first look at whether the assignment presented to me adds value to the company. You then convey that conviction to your team members. Remember, a company is difficult to compare to a real democracy. The company chooses a direction; you must, of course, ensure that the employees believe in it and see it. And are empowered to realize it. But ultimately, the leadership decides on the course.
TIP-IM: Finally, regarding young professionals. Do you think they are sufficiently mentally and psychologically prepared for the evolution towards a project economy?
Yves: Our generation received a work ethic from home that is on a different level than the generation of young people now entering the labor market. Young project managers are quickly satisfied with the result they achieve. I always advise young people to go to the basics, the shop floor. That’s where it happens. Respect everyone in their task and try to bring out the best of the competencies.
Young people also seek instant satisfaction too much and ask too few questions about the long term. We need to ignite that eagerness to excel in them. While I am convinced that they have received a better and more diverse professional education during their studies than we did…
The market is evolving; young people will have to step up and deliver. And then the right talent will emerge.