What Does an Interim Manager Focus On in the First Weeks of an Assignment?
An interim manager is a leader expected to deliver results from the first day in the organisation. The settling-in period granted to an executive in a permanent appointment is much shorter in interim management. The first weeks of the assignment therefore lay the foundation for the success of the entire term.
Interim managers usually step in to fill a leadership gap, lead a transformation programme, steer the organisation through a crisis or deliver a specific project. In every case, the common thread is the organisation's need for fast and reliable leadership.
One of the most important things an interim manager brings to an organisation is the ability to turn experience into results quickly. These are professionals who have taken on similar assignments many times in different organisations and encountered similar issues across sectors. This depth of experience allows them to assess the situation rapidly and focus on the right priorities in the first weeks.
Organisations turn to interim management for different reasons, yet the structure of the first weeks follows a similar logic in every assignment. This structure enables the interim manager to adapt quickly, focus on the right priorities and build a sound relationship with the team.
The first weeks are also the period in which the interim manager gets to know the organisation's culture and adapts their own leadership approach to it. An experienced interim manager respects the organisation's values while putting the necessary steps for change into practice with determination. This balance allows the assignment to deliver results that are both fast and lasting.
Within our long-standing partnership with Valtus Alliance, we follow a clear structure for the first weeks of the interim management assignments we deliver in Turkey. In this article, we look at the areas an interim manager focuses on when taking up the role and how the organisation supports this period.
Assessing the Current Situation
The interim manager's first task is to establish the current situation of the structure they are taking over. Financial indicators, operational flows, team structure and ongoing projects are reviewed within a short time. This review shows how far the objectives set in the mandate match the reality on the ground. The framework agreed with the organisation when clarifying the mandate is the main reference point for this assessment.
Reviewing financial indicators is one of the core steps of this assessment. Cash flow, profitability, cost structure and budget performance give the interim manager a clear picture of the organisation's financial health. This picture plays a decisive role in identifying which areas to prioritise, particularly in times of crisis and restructuring.
Assessing operational flows provides an understanding of how the organisation works day to day. How core processes such as production, supply chain, sales and customer service operate, where efficiency gains are possible and which areas need urgent attention are established at this stage. By visiting operations and speaking directly with employees, the interim manager gains a perspective beyond written reports.
Assessing the team structure is especially important for the success of the assignment. The interim manager identifies key people in the team, their strengths and their development areas. At this stage, they begin to clarify which managers they will work closely with, which roles need additional support and who will take over responsibility at the end of the assignment.
Reviewing ongoing projects is another important part of the assessment. Which projects contribute to the organisation's strategic goals, which need to be reprioritised and which require additional resources becomes clear at this stage. This review helps the organisation direct its resources to the areas of greatest impact.
The pace of the assessment depends as much on the organisation's preparation as on the interim manager's experience. Preparing financial reports, organisation charts and documentation on ongoing projects before the start date enables the interim manager to work productively from day one. We plan this preparation together with the organisation.
During the assessment, the interim manager identifies the organisation's strengths with equal care. Experienced team members, strong customer relationships or efficient processes are the foundations on which the change plan will be built. Making these strengths visible supports the team's motivation and ensures that change is built on the organisation's existing values.
At this stage, the interim manager holds one-to-one meetings with the board, senior management and key employees. These conversations provide access to information not captured in the organisation's written data and allow expectations to be heard directly. Early contact with customers, suppliers and business partners also offers a valuable view of how the organisation is seen from outside.
The first meetings with the board are critical for establishing common ground on expectations. The results the board expects from the assignment, the measures of success and the scope of authority granted to the interim manager are clarified in these meetings. This clarity directly determines the speed and impact of decisions taken throughout the assignment.
In these meetings, the interim manager also clarifies how often and on which matters the board wishes to be updated during the assignment. Discussing expectations openly from the outset keeps all parties moving around the same priorities throughout.
Early contact with customers, suppliers and business partners provides valuable insight into the state of the organisation's external relationships, its market position and its reputation. By engaging with these stakeholders early on, the interim manager shows that the leadership change is being handled with confidence in the eyes of external stakeholders too.
During the assessment, the interim manager also observes the organisation's culture and decision-making habits. How meetings are run, how information is shared internally and which stages decisions pass through give important clues about the pace at which the assignment can progress. These observations ensure the action plan is designed to fit the organisation's reality.
At the end of the assessment, the interim manager shares the findings with the board and together they clarify any updates needed to the mandate.
Building the Priority List
Following the assessment, the interim manager prepares an action plan spanning the assignment. The plan separates the steps to be taken in the first weeks from the longer-term objectives. The priority list typically includes:
• Steps that deliver early results and build the team's confidence
• Urgent needs in critical areas such as cash flow, supply or customer relationships
• Clarifying decision-making authority and defining reporting lines
• Performance indicators to be tracked throughout the assignment
• Preparation for the handover and knowledge transfer at the end of the assignment
The plan is finalised with the organisation's approval and becomes the roadmap the interim manager follows throughout the assignment. This roadmap also enables the board to track progress regularly.
An owner and a timeframe are set for each item on the list, turning priorities into concrete steps and making progress easy to track.
Steps that deliver results in the short term quickly strengthen the team's confidence in the interim manager. Resolving a long-standing operational issue, speeding up decision-making or removing an obstacle facing the team shows team members in concrete terms that change has begun. These gains lay the groundwork for the support needed for more extensive steps.
Urgent needs in critical areas sit at the top of the priority list. Matters such as cash management, a relationship with a key customer or a disruption in the supply chain are issues the interim manager deals with directly from the first days. Swift decisions in these areas protect the organisation's stability and free the interim manager to focus on other priorities.
Clarifying decision-making authority and reporting lines is one of the basic conditions for the assignment to progress soundly. It is clearly defined which decisions the interim manager can take alone, which require board approval and to whom the managers in the team will report. This definition removes any uncertainty about roles within the team.
Setting performance indicators at the start of the assignment allows progress to be tracked objectively. These indicators can cover a wide range, from financial targets and operational efficiency measures to team engagement and project timelines. Agreeing the indicators with the board ensures that reviews throughout the assignment rest on a common yardstick.
Building the action plan together with the organisation also strengthens ownership. When the board and senior management take an active part in preparing the plan, they give the interim manager strong support during implementation. Clearly setting out how each step relates to the organisation's strategic goals also helps the team understand why the steps matter.
Starting preparation for the handover in the first weeks is one of the core principles of interim management. One of the most important measures of success is that, at the end of the assignment, the organisation continues confidently with its permanent structure. From the outset, therefore, the interim manager plans knowledge transfer and builds a close working relationship with the manager who will take over.
Updating the priority list during the assignment is a natural part of the process. Priorities set in the first weeks are reviewed with the board in light of new information and developments. This flexibility allows the plan to adapt to the organisation's changing needs.
The organisation's capacity is also taken into account when setting priorities. Implementing many changes at once can place a heavy load on the team. By sequencing steps in line with the organisation's capacity to implement them, the interim manager ensures that change progresses at a sustainable pace.
In building the priority list, a balance is struck between short-term gains and lasting improvements. Tangible results in the first weeks reinforce the confidence of both the team and the board in the interim manager, while longer-term steps ensure the assignment leaves a lasting impact on the organisation.
First Contact with the Team and Building Trust
An interim manager's success depends largely on the relationship built with the team. In the first weeks, team members seek to get to know the new leader, understand their priorities and see how their own roles will be affected. Open and regular communication plays a decisive role during this period.
How team members approach the interim manager can vary depending on what the organisation is going through at the time. An interim manager arriving after a leadership gap is often welcomed with the team's support, while one who starts during restructuring may meet a more cautious response. In both cases, open communication and consistent behaviour allow trust to be built quickly.
Consistency in the interim manager's behaviour is a decisive factor in earning the team's trust. Keeping commitments, sharing the reasoning behind decisions and valuing team members' views allow a strong working relationship to form quickly.
Trust built with the team also makes it easier for the interim manager to access accurate information within the organisation. When team members trust the interim manager, they share the issues they face and their suggestions more openly. This openness ensures decisions rest on a sounder base of information.
The interest the interim manager shows in the team's day-to-day work also strengthens trust. Attending team meetings, spending time with employees on the ground and making the team's achievements visible help the interim manager be seen as part of the team.
The interim manager clearly communicates the purpose, duration and expected outcomes of the assignment to the team. They value the experience of the permanent team and draw on its knowledge in decision-making. This approach also lays the groundwork for a smooth knowledge transfer when the assignment is completed.
This clear communication at the start of the assignment quickly resolves open questions within the team. When team members know when and how the assignment will be completed, collaboration with the interim manager progresses far more smoothly.
In the first weeks, the interim manager holds one-to-one meetings with team members to hear about each person's area of responsibility, expectations and suggestions. These meetings allow team members to feel that they are contributing to the change. They also deepen the interim manager's knowledge of the organisation and enrich the action plan with the team's insight.
Some members of the permanent team will take on the responsibilities the interim manager hands over at the end of the assignment. Working closely with them from the first weeks allows knowledge transfer to happen as a natural flow throughout the assignment. When the assignment is complete, the organisation continues with a strong management structure that has absorbed the experience.
The communication rhythm between the interim manager and the organisation is also set in the first weeks. The frequency of board updates, the content of reports and the method for decision-making on critical issues are clarified during this period. A clear communication rhythm keeps all parties working from the same information and focused on the same goal throughout the assignment.
Internal communication is also carefully planned during this period. How the interim manager's arrival will be announced across the organisation, which messages will be shared with employees and through which channels are agreed with the board. Consistent and open internal communication preserves employee commitment during periods of change.
Valtus Alliance's global network gives the interim manager additional strength in this process. The experience of executives who have taken on similar assignments in other countries, together with international examples of practice, also provides guidance for assignments in Turkey. As E&E Interim, we bring this depth of experience together with the needs of organisations in Turkey.
As E&E Interim, we continue to support both the organisation and the interim manager throughout the assignment. Regular review meetings ensure the assignment stays on track with its objectives and allow additional support to be provided where needed.
From the organisation's perspective, the most important support in this period is announcing the authority granted to the interim manager clearly to the team. Regular reviews throughout the assignment then keep track of the objectives set in the first weeks; we covered this in detail in our article on monitoring the interim manager's performance.
At the end of the first weeks, the interim manager presents a comprehensive assessment to the board. It covers an overview of the current situation, the priorities identified, the first steps taken and the roadmap for the period ahead. This presentation completes the first phase of the assignment and establishes a shared framework for the remaining term.
As E&E Interim, drawing on our role as Valtus Turkey partner and the experience we have built since 1992, we meet organisations' interim management needs to global standards with local expertise. To put the right leadership in place at the right time, you can contact us at info@eande.com.tr.
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