An interim manager rarely comes alone.

Anyone who has ever actively dealt with the topic of interim management knows about the costs associated with engaging a highly specialized executive on a temporary basis. If you ask CEOs who have already gained experience working with renowned interim managers, it quickly becomes clear why this working model, already established in many European countries, is now also becoming increasingly prevalent in Austria. You pay two to three times as much for an interim manager compared to a comparable employee – if you can find one.

This is already put into perspective by familiar arguments such as unpaid sick leave and vacation, higher work performance and immediate availability, but still only represents the tip of the iceberg.

Interim managers are typically highly networked, high-potential individuals with excellent personal contacts at all management levels in virtually every sector that is potentially of interest to the client. New suppliers offering outstanding value for money, reliable planning partners, public service providers such as university service centers, or decision-makers in government agencies are just a few examples of the numerous new contacts that are more or less acquired along with the engagement.

“Birds of a feather flock together” is a proverb, but also a fact, particularly true for managers who, due to their communicative nature, are in regular contact with one another and quickly establish new relationships. While their experiences are highly diverse, reputable interim managers typically operate within a small niche, but they have experts in almost every field at their disposal to quickly and competently resolve even cross-functional challenges in complex situations – often without additional costs for the client.

Consulting firms with a network structure have the greatest leverage over interim providers or numerous freelancers because personal interaction is a daily occurrence thanks to consistent team composition and friendly relationships. This allows even the most complex problems to be competently analyzed and resolved in the shortest possible time. And if one person can't manage it? – the next morning, the team of experts will be there in person, steering the sailboat safely into port even from the fiercest storm.

Especially in difficult situations, the question isn't whether there are costs or not, but rather whether to pay beforehand or afterward, and to whom. If the decision is made to pay beforehand, there's a real chance not only of minimizing costs but also of converting them into profit through the added value that an interim manager passively brings, because: an interim manager rarely comes alone.