Consultancy vs. interim management: Do you need a doctor for a diagnosis or a surgeon?
Unlike the theoretical approach of traditional consultancy, interim management involves direct involvement in day-to-day operations. It is the difference between receiving a detailed diagnosis and hiring an experienced surgeon to carry out the solution.
Imagine you go to the doctor with acute pain. After several tests, the specialist gives you a detailed report and tells you that you have appendicitis and that the solution is to remove your appendix. They then hand you a step-by-step guide on how to make the incision yourself, whilst wishing you good luck.
It sounds absurd in the world of medicine, but it is a surprisingly common situation in the business world. Companies often find themselves facing new, particularly delicate situations and do not know who to turn to. This is where the confusion arises: should they hire a consultancy firm or bring in an interim manager? The answer depends on one fundamental question: does your organisation need to understand what is happening, or does it need to fix the problem?
Consultancy: an accurate diagnosis
Traditional consultancy firms are excellent ‘doctors’ — to continue with the medical analogy. They provide rigorous methodologies, in-depth data analysis and an external, objective perspective. Their primary purpose is, in essence, analysis and strategic advice.
It is ideal to use their services when a company is facing a complex problem but, at times, does not know the cause, or needs to carry out market research, benchmarking and strategy design. They are also the right choice when an action plan, a long-term roadmap or the theoretical validation of a new business model is required.
The outcome of this process is usually a brilliant report containing an accurate diagnosis and a detailed action plan. Undoubtedly very valuable. However, a consultancy firm’s involvement usually ends just as the most difficult phase for any management committee begins: implementation.
Interim management: The surgeon in the operating theatre
An interim management service, by contrast, involves direct engagement in the execution. A highly senior and experienced professional is brought into the company on a temporary basis with a very clear and defined mission: to address a specific need and deliver results.
Having such a figure on board is vital in various operational situations:
- When the problem is already known (or the consultancy report is already available) but internal talent needs bolstering, time is short, or the necessary skills are lacking.
- In crisis situations, restructurings and complex mergers and acquisitions processes.
- To launch a new line of business or professionalise a specific department in record time, whether in operations, finance, technology or human resources.
Unlike consultancy, the focus here is on measurable results and the transfer of knowledge. The interim manager not only designs the implementation strategy if necessary, but also gets down to the day-to-day operations, leads teams, makes executive decisions and takes direct responsibility for the impact. In short, they ‘roll up their sleeves’ and get to work.
Dual operational perspective
Recently, at EPUNTO Interim Management, our experience has enabled us to speak with complete candour about this dichotomy. Over the past few years, we have seen excellent consultancy reports that are, however, difficult to put into practice because executive management lacked either the operational capacity or the time to implement them.
These two services are not mutually exclusive, but rather complementary. On numerous occasions, the consultancy itself identifies the need for a ‘surgeon’ to implement its viability or expansion plans. However, the great advantage of interim management lies in the fact that a truly experienced executive can, in most scenarios, carry out a rapid diagnosis and take action almost immediately. This drastically shortens response times and maximises the return on investment for your company.
A matter of momentum and results
Before signing the next major contract to resolve a critical challenge within a company, it is essential to honestly assess the true operational need. If you need to understand the competitive environment and define the ‘what’, then you should seek a thorough analysis. But if what your company urgently requires is traction, agile leadership, effective change management and tangible results – that is, the ‘how’ and the ‘when’ – then do not look for an analyst; hire a surgeon.
Here at EPUNTO Interim Management, we invite you to reflect on your organisation’s position in the face of the challenges ahead: are you stuck in the diagnostic phase, or are you ready to move into the execution phase?
