Interim Leader as Consultant: Presentation to the Leadership Team
DATA COLLECTED It has been a grueling first month in your contract. You have worked hard to meet with your team, get to know your peers, and learn about the organization. Now you understand the status and functions of your team. You have collected and reviewed data and heard everyone’s ideas. You have even pulled it all together and created the story of the team you have been asked to lead. What you do next will determine your focus for the remainder of your contract.
ORGANIZING THE DATA In order to have the maximal effect, it is imperative that you present your findings formally. Create a PowerPoint and handouts so that the leaders can see what you have done and are proposing. You want to first tell the story and detail the steps you took during these first weeks. Once they appreciate your efforts, then present your findings.
CREATING THE PRESENTATION – STEP ONE Start with your initial goals and objectives. When you first accepted your contract, there were certain goals that were defined. Address those first. What did you observe and what did the data and interviews show? You may have found other more pressing issues but let them wait for now. It is especially important to show the leadership what you discovered about the issues they prioritized. It is enlightening when you find the same issues arising during your team interviews: this congruency in goals will make your job achievable.
CREATING THE PRESENTATION – STEP TWO Separate the ensuing presentation into data and then team interviews. Data would be finances, staffing, turnover: anything that indicates the success and challenges facing the team.
Consider including indicators of engagement: recent surveys and even staff meeting participation can give a lot of insight into the team’s health. Be sure to include the teams’ participation and readiness to meet one-on-one with you. This will show a willingness to engage now.
The most difficult task is to turn the challenges and successes shared during the interviews into an organized, data-driven format. As discussed in the January blog, you will have sorted by themes and counted the number of times each theme reappeared in your interviews. Showcase your top 5 successes and your top 5 challenges.
CREATING THE PRESENTATION – STEP THREE As you are presenting new issues, the question arises whether you should also address them during your time there. You will find issues that must be addressed if you are to be successful in meeting the initial goals. You must prioritize them in the discussion. Be sure the leaders understand how they are interconnected with the goals they have identified upfront. Finally, all issues that are unrelated to success with the initial stated goals, can be presented as new goals that can be addressed once the assigned goals are achieved.
CREATING THE PRESENTATION – CONCLUSION This is your chance to show them the real value of an interim leader as a consultant and an expert. Be prepared to share your expertise. Assure the team that you are there to follow their direction. Demonstrate the added value you can bring to them in identifying needs they may not have foreseen and issues they may have been unaware of.
Only after this meeting and after decisions are made on the goals to be addressed will you take the next step and present your findings to your team members. This next step is an exciting one and will be addressed in the March Blog.
November Blog: Healthcare is in Crisis Mode- Interim Healthcare Leaders Needed More than Ever.
December Blog: Using principles of Appreciative Inquiry to win the trust and build relationships
January Blog: Develop the big picture: What is working
February Blog: Presentation to the executive/leadership team
Coming in March Blog: Presentation to the department team.
Coming in April Blog: Using I2E2: involving the team and creating a vision
Coming in May Blog: Creating change that continues after the assignment ends.