Editorial by Managing Director Alexander De Beir
We prepare, you perform
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
― Benjamin Franklin
At ADM, we make it a priority to prepare our Interim Managers as well as possible for the missions that may be entrusted to them. This is done in two stages. The first step may distinguish us from many competitors, that being that it just takes place… before entrusting a specific assignment. We regularly take time to engage in conversation with our IM’s. This allows us to properly assess how they are evolving, what additional experience they have gained, what fascinates and concerns them.
This offers an indisputable advantage: when a client entrusts us with a new mission, we know perfectly who is the best-placed manager at that moment to accomplish that ‘mission’. In other words, we literally and figuratively gain precious time. We save ourselves and our clients time by presenting them an appropriate profile in less than a week. In return, we appreciate our clients clearly defining the project, the expectations associated with it and the role expected of the Interim Manager. It is essential that internal communication within the client company is smooth and transparent: this prevents internal tensions, prejudices and mistrust. Provided communication is smooth, the clients’ team will know that the Interim Manager is not out to take the job away from anyone, but rather to assist the teams and help them become even better.
Act what you preach
Of course, we can only be credible ourselves if we impose impeccable discipline on ourselves in terms of preparation. At ADM, good preparation makes it possible to perfectly follow up all dossiers, to not miss an opportunity to take a talented Interim Manager under our wing, and to save companies time by relieving them of the laborious search for the white raven. It also allows us to free up enough time for creativity, an essential part of our job.
Prepared for what’s coming?
Besides the day-to-day preparations, we also need to think more long term about what we can or should expect from 2023. Some are pronouncing the “R” word. Others see no omens of difficult times for their own business, but rather how their corporate culture has managed to adapt positively to the ever-changing world. At ADM, we notice a clear trend towards the use of temporary high profiles in the labor market. In the face of a scarcity of talented profiles, our focused and quick approach makes all the difference. Perhaps a flexible attitude in the management structure – in an increasingly inter-connected world where information circulates faster and faster – will become more important. Don’t worry, we are already prepared for it. To relieve you of all your worries!
AI, what do you think?
At first glance, the business world of tomorrow doesn’t seem to be for the faint-hearted. The good news: tools or “brain enhancers” are not only allowed but also recommended. In 2024, those aiming to seize all opportunities for success in their entrepreneurial objectives are better off with AI assistance. It’s fascinating to read, for those still in doubt, about the significant AI trends Forbes predicts for 2024 (Forbes.com, 2023).
Is there no room left for the soft-hearted? It all depends on what you consider “soft.” Due to its efficiency, AI actually frees up time for the working individual to showcase their soft skills. Forbes also predicts that: “As it becomes increasingly feasible to automate technical aspects of work – coding, research, or data management, for example – the ability to leverage soft skills for tasks that still require a human touch becomes critical. For this reason, in 2024, we will see organizations increasing their investment in developing and nurturing skills and attributes such as emotional intelligence, communication, interpersonal problem-solving, high-level strategy and thought leadership.”
Some doomsayers may rightly expect that many jobs will be lost to AI, but people, especially interim managers, will provide the necessary human touch in every mission. Combining sustainability, creativity and ethics with performance, speed and efficiency. It’s a testament to how soft skills can be strong assets.
I stumbled upon this definition serendipitously through a Google search on the website of the International Organization for Migration…
From integrity, I continued my exploration to a word closely resembling it: “integration.” I rediscovered the Latin root of the word “integrate”: “integrare,” which means “to make whole.” I came across a quote from the actress and producer America Ferrera: “I can’t be the leader I’m meant to be without all of the parts of who I am.”
Hence, integrity and integration primarily revolve around a whole and how one, as a whole-part, can become part of a new whole. It’s not a deconstruction of one’s identity or aspirations but a construction, akin to how each of us builds and enriches our identity through layers.
This is what I aspire to retain from the tumultuous final months of this era and carry forward into the beckoning new year. Those who are resilient, grounded on solid foundations, become an even better, or “fuller,” version of themselves by integrating with other wholes.
External forces as inspiration
Another strength that will hopefully continue to distinguish our human brain from AI is its ability to interpret and contextualize societal and economic phenomena based on personal experiences. An interesting example is the Flemish digital entrepreneur Jo Caudron (Tijd 14/12). In his new book ‘The Future Formula,’ he manages to grasp significant themes and link them to his earlier insights into innovation or digital transformation. He even devises a kind of formula to help the reader translate major societal forces and challenges into their own situation.
Innovation remains a keyword for him. In addition to product innovation and sourcing innovation, he advocates for business model innovation. According to him, this is linked to the shift from a possession economy to a usage economy. This happens to be a fundamental model of Interim Management. In the future, companies will be able to leverage external forces and talents without maintaining the illusion of possessing them through a contractual fixed agreement. This requires a change in mentality for some, but it’s already right around the corner and… Gen Z will certainly not oppose it.
This is, of course, very good news in a world where the tendency is to think that we are increasingly limited in our freedoms. Those who feel free in their work will, therefore, not feel any less responsible; on the contrary, it gives rise to the (will)power to give the best from within. I wish this to all of you in 2024!
We must resist the temptation of hasty judgments. Why? Those two individuals you thought of at the beginning of this article as examples of people with integrity likely built their reputation gradually into a robust image. (Perhaps) slowly, but certainly. In the face of the demand for immediacy imposed upon us, it is crucial to afford a value like “time” the time it deserves.
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