Your StoriesSheila Richardson - Interim corporate commercial lawyer
Sheila Richardson describes herself as a 'Career Interim Manager'. A corporate lawyer by profession, Sheila became an Interim Manager over 20 years ago in 1996 when she was in her 30s. At that time she wanted a better work life balance, greater flexibility in her working life and a defence against office politics.
Setting up as an Interim Manager
Sheila's husband is also an Interim Manager and a lawyer. He had established a limited company, 'The Warwick Partnership Limited,' five years before. Inspired by his success, Sheila decided to leave her then employer and become an Interim Manager, working through The Warwick Partnership. Sheila built a network of contacts in order to find her first assignment, but she also kept on networking during that project which ensured that a steady flow of work followed. Today, the majority of her work comes through recommendations, repeat business and networking.
The Challenges
Sheila says that a combination of her desire for self determination and the support of her husband were key factors in her becoming an Interim Manager. However, she concedes that it wasn't all plain sailing. The company's business plan suffered a setback when, during the recession in the early 1990's, one of its largest clients went into administration. The gap was however quickly filled as a result of the company's growing network of contacts.
Sheila commented, "Interim Managers will always be affected by the economy and so leaving a permanent job is a risk. However, if you are determined, able to build a network of contacts and develop rapport and trust quickly with clients and colleagues, which generally involves being able to put yourself in their shoes and be able to turn your clients' problems into opportunities for them then you are likely to succeed."
Another piece of advice that Sheila has for Interim Managers is that it is important to stay healthy and to maintain a positive outlook. She also feels that it is important for Interims to set their own incentives and career goals because Interims are not working within such defined structures as they would be if they were employed.
Sheila's own motivations come from the interesting work she does, and she also gets a buzz out of running a business.
As an Interim corporate lawyer, Sheila works in-house for a range of blue chip companies and is brought in for projects such as M&A work or organisational restructuring. Sheila relishes the diversity of the work, the variety of projects she undertakes and the different industry sectors in which she works. She believes that key to her success is her ability to empathise with clients and build trust quickly which is essential because of the confidential nature of her work.
Currently, Sheila balances a portfolio career working on several clients at the same time and her husband works in the same way. They have a mutual understanding of each others' work commitments and they ensure that the holidays they take are planned well in advance and that they don't discuss work when they get home.
Her advice to women considering Interim Management as a career option is firstly to 'give it a go,' but also to plan ahead and have some savings set aside to make the transition easier financially. She also says they should be clear about their goals. When asked if she would ever return to permanent work she said 'not willingly'.
Heather Northey – Interim Project Manager and project recovery specialistHeather Northey is an Interim Project Manager who has been working as an Interim Manager for four years. Prior to becoming an Interim Manager she ran her own consultancy business.
Heather has a generalist background. Her main area of experience is in property and construction however, she has worked in building and maintenance, design, change management, as well as in the rail industry. This broad knowledge is quite rare and means that she is in demand with clients.
Heather uses a mixture of ways to find work. Her assignments have come through Interim recruitment providers, word of mouth recommendations, networking and even through the social networking site Twitter.
Typically, Heather is hired by clients to recover failing projects or manage transitional arrangements. A recent example of her work was an assignment with English Heritage to manage an Estates Department which was handling a challenging conservation and maintenance programme. Heather was brought in when the three year development programme was in its final year and the organisation had used two thirds of its budget but was totally off track in terms of project delivery. The organisation's Estates Team didn't have the skills, experience or the right competencies to turn the project around. In addition they faced swingeing budget cuts and a reorganisation to integrate an Asset Management Programme.
Heather implemented a project management office solution and worked with all internal clients across the organisation to analyse how money was being spent and determine where it could be saved. She implemented new project management systems and introduced new working practices, as well as mentoring the internal team to ensure a transfer of skills. She succeeded in getting the team back on track so their programmes were delivered on time and in budget, handing over to the permanent incumbent 12 months later.
Heather concedes that Interim Management work is not for the faint hearted. Whilst, she likes the fact it offers a more flexible way of working, she feels that it is an intense way of working. She copes with this by taking time off at the end of each project to recharge.
Heather commented, "As an Interim, you are expected to go from a standing start to working at full pelt so it is hard not to get jet lagged. I tend to be brought into solve difficult and often unpalatable situations. My job is to 'say it as it is' so I don't worry about being direct as I know that I can be independent of the organisations' politics and free of concerns regarding career progression, and this is refreshing." The ultimate buzz for Heather is getting her clients out of sticky situations, getting projects back on track and then walking away knowing that she got them through.
Interim of the month – Anne Green
I kind of fell into Interim work. It wasn't a calculated career move. I had my own business from the age of 22, with many clients who in very different sectors including Burger King, Westbury Homes, Dyer Associates and County Hotels. I provided a mixture of financial and IT support.
I realised there was a great opportunity in both sectors so decided to gain some financial qualifications. I selected the route of Chartered Company Secretary. So now I had the client experience, the technical skills, and the piece of paper. But I wondered what I would do next. I did not want to work for just one company as that was a stifling, strangulating thought. So, what about long term contracts where I can help companies with their specific projects?
The Interim market was very different 15 years ago – there was Michael Page and Robert Half, but really not much else around. Assignments came and went, but they were just not meaty enough.
Then an assignment at Whitbread came along where big changes were needed and this was my first ‘real’ Interim role – delivering change. The technology was out of date and big changes were needed to modernise business processes. The company however, was willing to change so I was authorised and empowered to introduce new ways of doing things. As an outsider, I had a much greater chance of achieving the goals – I had no axe to grind, no political stances to adopt. It was just and simple "getting on with it," which is how I like to work and what Interim work is all about. Since then, I have taken on more and more interim workup to Executive Board level and thoroughly enjoyed every minute.
An intense way of working
The demands on you are intense. Introducing yourself to a company needs tremendous amounts of energy to cope with learning the people, products, customers, culture, and all the various members / stakeholders. All this is to be achieved with days, to allow you to do your work and achieve your targets quickly while minimising disruption, which is crucial. If you are sensitive and intuitive, you can make changes without causing too many concerns for everyone. One piece of advice is to get the people involved, get them believing in you - QUICKLY. I call it the confidence period. You've got to be a people person to get them working with and for you immediately.
Juggling all the time
As far as working as an interim is concerned, well, I don't have children (my choice - work or family) I don’t think I could do both - not well anyway. The work time is intense as there is no holiday period - not till the assignment is complete. Then you can take all the time you like - within reason. It's a turn off and turn on way of working. Your friends need to be understanding - once minute you are playing golf, having coffee mid morning, visiting and looking after family, and the next you've disappeared off the face of the earth.
Recently my Grandfather fell ill, and sadly died last March. Working as an interim, I could take time out to be with him, to deal with his affairs. I was in control of the decision. This is the good side of Interim work. Interim assignments are not for the faint hearted. It is not contract work. The roles and positions are usually senior, and at a time when you are needed the most - usually for the aid of the Company's survival.
A strong stomach and a determination to succeed
I love the intensity of the work load and I have the energy and drive to motivate others into believing in themselves again. This energy can only be brought about by your presence and delivering of promises. To be seriously dedicated to Interim work requires a strong stomach, there will be disbelievers, blockers, and those who just don't want to see the successful results. You must be an optimist and promote success.
If you want a successful interim career combined with better work/life - be more upfront!
The Art of Proactive Selection
One of the key advantages of a career in Interim Management is the ability to control your work/life balance. However, in reality is this really working as well as we had hoped?
Sometimes it could just be a matter of not being clear about our expectations from interim assignments, both with interim management providers and clients.
Interim Managers Simeen Kadi and Lucy Hazell discuss their very different experiences and expectations.
Simeen Kadi
I enjoy working as an interim manager, but feel that I may not be getting the more challenging roles because I am a woman.
I am relatively new to Interim Management, having just completed my first proper interim role – a five month engagement which went on for over two years!
I am a marketing strategy and implementation specialist, having worked at international advertising agencies and in senior marketing roles within global organisations before becoming a consultant and, now, an interim manager.
I gave up a successful career heading up large marketing teams and managing substantial budgets because I wanted more control over my life. I wanted to be able to take a break from my career to do things like travel without worrying about relinquishing my slot on the career ladder. And, equally, when at work, I wanted to focus 100% on the challenge at hand and not on office politics.
Increasingly I felt that a conventional permanent career was too restrictive and, ultimately, too political. Rather than making the most of my skills and talent, I was expending time and energy on unnecessary activities of no benefit to myself or the company for which I worked.
I really enjoyed my first interim assignment, heading up the marketing department of a high-profile Home Office agency, and I am now keen to get stuck into my next role. However, as I engage with interim management agencies and follow through on my networking whilst looking for my next assignment, I can’t help but feeling that I may be missing out.
Could it be that, because I am a woman of child bearing age, I am being passed over for roles involving a large amount of travel or working away from home with the assumption being I would not want to stay away from my family? As it happens, I have no children, I am willing to travel and stay away from home as required and am very used to working long hours, late into the night if needed, so why do I feel I am being passed over for relevant opportunities?
The point is that interim management is attractive to us for so many different reasons. And that’s why it works. However, there is still a real tendency for players in all aspects of the industry to stereotype about the roles of women in the workplace. Until this issue is rebalanced, it may mean that we, as female interim managers, need to be more upfront about what we want from our interim careers.
What works for me will not be right for everyone, but we cannot expect agencies, clients and others on whom we rely to help us get our interim assignments to second guess our needs, ambitions and expectations, as well as our boundaries.
In these days of extreme political correctness people are very wary about asking too many personal questions; in my case whether I have children and want to balance my work/family life accordingly. But, sometimes, being upfront and open may mean not missing out on a rewarding opportunity.
Lucy’s view:
I have a successful interim career but have had to set clear boundaries to keep my work and family life in balance.
I have been an interim for six years. I am an engineer by profession, worked for eight years in the chemical industry then moved to Arthur D Little as a management consultant. I chose the interim path after having my first child – I was looking for a way to combine family life with a nevertheless rewarding and challenging career.
I now have three young children. Working is an essential part of my life and I am committed to my career, but like everyone, my life is multi-faceted and work needs to fit with this. On the one hand, I want to have breakfast with my kids as often as possible, make it to the school playground occasionally and yes, even be around for some of the tantrums! On the other hand, if I did not work, I would go insane. I have therefore managed to develop a model that works for me.
My golden rules are these: firstly, to know my boundaries, and stick to them. In my case that means not staying away from home for more then 2-3 days a week, and working from my home office whenever possible.
Secondly (and crucially), I am always crystal clear with recruiters and clients regarding these boundaries. Of course, it’s also rather important to emphasise what I can do as well as what I can’t. For example, I often travel overseas, I can work long hours, and I am willing to call Japan at 2am every night for a week if needed! It’s simply a matter of lateral thinking, and if a client is willing to be flexible with me, I need to be flexible in return.
Not every client or assignment lends itself to this model. I have to work hard to find the “right” opportunities and occasionally find myself turning down work, or not being invited for interview in the first place. However I do take full responsibility for my situation, do not ask for any favours and only put myself forward for work that I know I can handle just as well as, if not better than, anyone else. I usually find that if I am straight, honest and transparent with clients from the outset, and go on to deliver what they need, I can quickly gain trust and respect, and in the end, they often really don’t care where I am!
So what are we trying to say here?
The two of us have different lifestyles, needs and aspirations, however, we have certain crucial things in common: we both want to be challenged and to excel in our chosen areas, and we both want to have some control over our assignments..
It seems to us that the approach we adopt should be exactly the same: to be clear on what we are seeking and what we can do, and to be confident and proactive enough to share that with recruiters and clients right from the start. It actually should not matter whether you’re a mother, an Olympic gymnast, have seven cats to feed or are actually able to travel with no restrictions. The fact is that truly enlightened clients (the ones we’d all like to work for) are usually more concerned with deliverables than with working patterns, and will respect us more for an honest and proactive approach.
Hitting the ground running in the financial services sector - Sarah Hadley
Sarah Hadley, aged 36, has been working as an Interim Business Consultant in the financial services sector since 2004. Prior to this, she had held strategy roles in the UK business of Australian insurance company AMP, and at Arthur Andersen.
Sarah's departure from AMP following the demerger of its UK and Australian businesses at the end of 2003 provided her with an opportunity to reassess her career options, and following a six week trip to Australia she decided to embark on a career as an Interim business consultant specialising in strategic/regulatory projects in the financial services sector. She commenced her interim career at Zurich Financial Services and really enjoyed the greater independence, flexibility and emphasis on delivery associated with working as an Interim manager.
From there, she undertook an 18 month assignment at Royal Sun Alliance, focusing on achieving Prudential Sourcebook and Sarbannes Oxley compliance, and then took a career break to have a baby. On her return to the workforce, Sarah was appointed by investment bank, NM Rothschild to run its Basel II compliance programme, which required the application of both technical regulatory and project management expertise.
These roles are typical of the many projects that Sarah has worked on in her consulting life - she finds that her background in business strategy and regulation lends itself naturally to Interim work.
"I love the challenge of working as an Interim Manager in the financial services industry and I am completely driven by the focus on getting things done. You have to hit the ground running and deliver on time and I thrive in that kind of environment - I have also found that there is scope to work on a part-time basis – as long as I deliver! – enabling me to achieve an excellent work-family life balance," she said.
"Project work in the financial services sector is hugely stimulating and varied, hard work and of course, financially very rewarding – I don't think I could ever go back to permanent employment," she added.
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Rachel Youngman, an interim general manager and CEO started her Interim career in 2003 when she was looking for a new challenge and for more variety in her working life. She had enjoyed a high flying career for many years working as a deputy executive director for an international charity.
Although her job had involved overseas travel, was financially very rewarding and had even given her the opportunity to meet well known individuals such as Nelson Mandela, it was time for a change.
"I wanted a less predictable working life, to learn more and to be really challenged and pushed. I was approaching 40 and had many years of experience behind me so the time seemed right to take the big decision to become a self employed consultant and interim manager," stated Rachel.
Rachel decided that consultancy work, combined with taking on Interim assignments would give her enough work and the variety she was looking for and it would help avoid the 'feast or famine' situation that is commonly suffered by the self employed.
When asked if Interim management has provided the challenges she anticipated she said, "I have never been in a situation yet where I have not been challenged. As an interim, it is essential you hit the ground running as you are paid to deliver from day one. There is no grace period or settling in time for Interims so it is not for everyone, but I personally love the challenge."
Rachel has deliberately chosen to work in different industries to get the variety she craves, for example, she worked as a consultant to the Cabinet office and is currently part-time CEO at the British Youth Council, where she finds herself reporting to a board of directors all in their 20s.
"Flexibility is part of the job; you have to adapt as an Interim manager and get on with everyone. Fitting in with your clients' requirements is key to the success of any assignment and each assignment can be very different, so you have to expect to adapt and change your style of working to fit in."
It is not an easy option she concedes. "Although some assignments are part time, this is very different from part-time work. You have to impress your client from the interview stage, represent your agent well and obviously you are only as good as your last assignment so you need to perform. But clients get a good deal with Interims as they are often over qualified for the job."
She concludes, "It is a wonderful way of working and I couldn't be tempted into returning to a permanent role. After all, I had a great permanent role. This way of working just suits me better."
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Janet Morris a Marketing Director started her Interim Management career seven years ago at the age of 34. She had considered Interim Management for a while and had done some careful research before leaving her permanent job behind. She learnt that to secure her first assignment she would need to be available immediately and this meant taking the risk of leaving her job, without the security of having an assignment set up.
When probed about the benefits of life as an Interim Manager, Janet was clear, "Interim Management gives me a huge amount of flexibility and I am in charge of my own diary. I work with my clients to put together my job briefs so my deliverables are completely clear and I understand my goals from day one. Having such clarity and focus is liberating and this differs completely from a permanent role where goals are often a bit hazy. I know what I am responsible for and what I have to deliver and whilst this adds an element of pressure, I thrive in this kind of environment."
Another benefit cited by Janet is that she avoids office politics; she is continually learning which she finds stimulating and challenging and a further bonus is the financial rewards, which are generally better than working in a permanent position.
Interestingly, in her seven years' experience, Janet has noticed that companies seem to be more open and used to Interim Managers now than in the past. Equally, she finds that although each new assignment is nerve wracking and challenging to begin with, she is no longer daunted when starting somewhere new; in fact, entering a new environment is all part of the excitement.
The variety of different job roles and entering different industries is extremely appealing for Janet. She has worked for leading organizations such as The Energy Saving Trust, Ordinance Survey, Air Miles, as well as the Queen's lawyers, Farrer & Co, for headhunters, Odgers, Ray & Berntson and she is currently the only female director at family-owned construction firm Osborne. Her roles have ranged from large branding projects, strategic marketing assignments, through to setting up or restructuring marketing departments and crisis management.
"Interim Management provides the variety that I crave in a job and it gives me choice of who I work for and on what and a more flexible working life. However, it is not a soft option. The job is challenging and can be stressful at times. Also, anyone who is thinking of a career in Interim Management needs to be ready to be completely flexible and willing to travel, for example, I used to commute from London to Southampton every day for one assignment – travel is part of the job."
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If you want a successful interim career combined with better work/life - be more upfront!
The Art of Proactive Selection
One of the key advantages of a career in Interim Management is the ability to control your work/life balance. However, in reality is this really working as well as we had hoped?
Sometimes it could just be a matter of not being clear about our expectations from interim assignments, both with interim management providers and clients.
Interim Managers Simeen Kadi and Lucy Hazell discuss their very different experiences and expectations.
Simeen Kadi:
I enjoy working as an interim manager, but feel that I may not be getting the more challenging roles because I am a woman
I am relatively new to Interim Management, having just completed my first proper interim role – a five month engagement which went on for over two years!
I am a marketing strategy and implementation specialist, having worked at international advertising agencies and in senior marketing roles within global organisations before becoming a consultant and, now, an interim manager.
I gave up a successful career heading up large marketing teams and managing substantial budgets because I wanted more control over my life. I wanted to be able to take a break from my career to do things like travel without worrying about relinquishing my slot on the career ladder. And, equally, when at work, I wanted to focus 100% on the challenge at hand and not on office politics.
Increasingly I felt that a conventional permanent career was too restrictive and, ultimately, too political. Rather than making the most of my skills and talent, I was expending time and energy on unnecessary activities of no benefit to myself or the company for which I worked.
I really enjoyed my first interim assignment, heading up the marketing department of a high-profile Home Office agency, and I am now keen to get stuck into my next role.
However, as I engage with interim management agencies and follow through on my networking whilst looking for my next assignment, I can’t help but feeling that I may be missing out.
Could it be that, because I am a woman of child bearing age, I am being passed over for roles involving a large amount of travel or working away from home with the assumption being I would not want to stay away from my family? As it happens, I have no children, I am willing to travel and stay away from home as required and am very used to working long hours, late into the night if needed, so why do I feel I am being passed over for relevant opportunities?
The point is that interim management is attractive to us for so many different reasons. And that’s why it works. However, there is still a real tendency for players in all aspects of the industry to stereotype about the roles of women in the workplace. Until this issue is rebalanced, it may mean that we, as female interim managers, need to be more upfront about what we want from our interim careers.
What works for me will not be right for everyone, but we cannot expect agencies, clients and others on whom we rely to help us get our interim assignments to second guess our needs, ambitions and expectations, as well as our boundaries.
In these days of extreme political correctness people are very wary about asking too many personal questions; in my case whether I have children and want to balance my work/family life accordingly. But, sometimes, being upfront and open may mean not missing out on a rewarding opportunity.
Lucy’s view:
I have a successful interim career but have had to set clear boundaries to keep my work and family life in balance
I have been an interim for six years. I am an engineer by profession, worked for eight years in the chemical industry then moved to Arthur D Little as a management consultant. I chose the interim path after having my first child – I was looking for a way to combine family life with a nevertheless rewarding and challenging career.
I now have three young children. Working is an essential part of my life and I am committed to my career, but like everyone, my life is multi-faceted and work needs to fit with this. On the one hand, I want to have breakfast with my kids as often as possible, make it to the school playground occasionally and yes, even be around for some of the tantrums! On the other hand, if I did not work, I would go insane. I have therefore managed to develop a model that works for me.
My golden rules are these: firstly, to know my boundaries, and stick to them. In my case that means not staying away from home for more then 2-3 days a week, and working from my home office whenever possible.
Secondly (and crucially), I am always crystal clear with recruiters and clients regarding these boundaries. Of course, it’s also rather important to emphasise what I can do as well as what I can’t. For example, I often travel overseas, I can work long hours, and I am willing to call Japan at 2am every night for a week if needed! It’s simply a matter of lateral thinking, and if a client is willing to be flexible with me, I need to be flexible in return.
Not every client or assignment lends itself to this model. I have to work hard to find the “right” opportunities and occasionally find myself turning down work, or not being invited for interview in the first place. However I do take full responsibility for my situation, do not ask for any favours and only put myself forward for work that I know I can handle just as well as, if not better than, anyone else. I usually find that if I am straight, honest and transparent with clients from the outset, and go on to deliver what they need, I can quickly gain trust and respect, and in the end, they often really don’t care where I am!
So what are we trying to say here?
The two of us have different lifestyles, needs and aspirations, however, we have certain crucial things in common: we both want to be challenged and to excel in our chosen areas, and we both want to have some control over our assignments..
It seems to us that the approach we adopt should be exactly the same: to be clear on what we are seeking and what we can do, and to be confident and proactive enough to share that with recruiters and clients right from the start. It actually should not matter whether you’re a mother, an Olympic gymnast, have seven cats to feed or are actually able to travel with no restrictions. The fact is that truly enlightened clients (the ones we’d all like to work for) are usually more concerned with deliverables than with working patterns, and will respect us more for an honest and proactive approach.
