Setting up good teams is only half the challenge. Setting up team goals is the more complex half-faced by interim managers and leaders all over.

Interim managers depend on teams to get stuff done. But a good team is only effective when they are focused on the right goals.

Give them a problem

Sometimes the reason why you’re not getting anything done is because you’re not asking for help the right way. Instead of giving team members a series of tasks that lead to accomplishing your objectives, give them a problem to solve. Don’t just ask them to do task A, B, and C hoping to hit that 20% growth in revenue. Rather give your team the goal of achieving that 20%. Stay involved in the process by asking them to set goals and then monitoring progress against it.

Play to their strengths

Find out what each team member is good at and then delegate according to their strength. If they are not capable in certain skills and activities, pair them with someone who is. Teams should be able to support each other – both the strong and the weak. Balancing different capabilities and talents is a skill that only good leaders and interim managers possess.

Interim managers set SMART goals

Goals that are SMART are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. They help managers and team members focus on their overall goals and achieve them. Measuring progress is a great way to stay on track and review whether or not something is working for you. If something isn’t delivering the results you expected, then get back to the drawing board and reassess your goals and objectives.

To learn about how Cerius Interim Management can help you and for more information on interim executives, please visit our home page by clicking here.