“You should always leave a little more behind than what is written in the contract.”

This thought has accompanied interim executive Kai Tihilä throughout every interim assignment.

Eight years ago, a Google search led him to Nordic Interim. He got in touch, which led to a discussion, and just one month later, he started his first assignment as an interim CFO. Since then, assignments have followed one another in an almost uninterrupted sequence.

“At best, there have been only a couple of weeks between assignments. Typically, an assignment lasts around 6 – 9 months, but my current one has continued for a year,” Kai says.

Over the years, he has worked as an interim CFO and Finance Director in different companies, from the plywood industry to energy, from construction to service businesses and transport.

The industries change, but one thought has remained the same.

“I always want to leave the company in a slightly better shape than it was when I arrived.”

A consultant makes plans, an interim executes

According to Kai, one of the biggest differences between a consultant and an interim executive is quite simple: a consultant plans, while an interim executes.

“In consulting, it is easy to produce a good analysis and give recommendations, but you rarely get to see how they are ultimately implemented. In an interim role, you get to put the plans into action and also see the impact.”

This is exactly what motivates him to take on new assignments year after year.

“I may not create slides quite as polished as consultants do, but I get to see and do things in practice.”

Changing industries, different business environments and new challenges keep the work interesting.

“One of the good things about interim assignments is that they end before you have time to get bored with them,” Kai says with a laugh.

Every new assignment brings new perspectives, while the expertise accumulated from previous experiences continues to develop and travels with him into the next role.

A business navigator must board a moving ship

An interim executive does not have the benefit of a month-long onboarding program. He or she works like a maritime pilot: boarding a moving ship, quickly assessing the situation and guiding the company safely in the right direction, sometimes even through stormy waters.

As Kai puts it: “The faster you understand the situation, the faster you can start helping the company.”

The first few weeks are mainly spent getting to know the business, meeting the people and building an overall picture.

In a Finance Director role, certain routines make it easier to get started.

“Board meetings, reporting and monthly cycles provide a good framework. But in addition to these, there also needs to be time for development and renewal,” Kai explains.

In many companies, Kai has been their first interim executive.

“Every organisation is different. Sometimes trust is built quickly through actions; sometimes you need to spend more time listening to people. There is no point in presenting solutions before you understand the situation well enough.”

Experience brings perspective

In an interim career, every assignment adds to the bank of experience.

At the same time, something even more valuable develops: the ability to quickly recognize which issues should be addressed first.

“When your expertise is applied to a new situation every time, it continues to evolve. You enter the next assignment a little better prepared and can bring even more value to the client.”

Over the years, he has also learned to quickly identify issues that are relatively easy to fix.

“As an outsider, you often notice things that people within the organisation have simply become accustomed to. So quite often, even small changes can achieve a great deal.”

The company must be left in a better shape

Kai does not measure his success by how many months an assignment lasted. He measures it by what remains in the company after he has left.

“I always aim to leave the company with something that continues to provide value after the assignment has ended.”

This might mean better operating models, new practices, improved reporting or simply making it easier for the next leader to continue from where the work was left.

“If the company is in slightly better shape when I leave than it was when I arrived, I have succeeded.”

The future of interim leadership

After eight years and numerous assignments, Kai has seen the market change.

In many companies, he has been their first interim executive. Today, however, using temporary executive expertise has become considerably more familiar.

What advice would you give to a company considering its first interim executive?

“Think carefully about what you want to achieve. When the objective is clear, an experienced executive can start helping very quickly.”

And what about an executive considering an interim career?

“You need to be patient. Not every assignment starts immediately. At the same time, you need to be prepared to make decisions quickly and take responsibility for them”.

Finally, Kai sums up interim leadership in three words:
Focus. Time pressure. Varied assignments.

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