How Interim Leaders Can Deliver Radical Operational Efficiency
“If we don’t get someone in here to turn things around, the company is going to stage a mutiny.”
Those were the ominous words from one Operating Partner in Private Equity who felt they had tried everything to overcome their performance rut.
The employees were frustrated by the constant implementation of yet another new productivity program or strategy shift when none of the prior initiatives had achieved results. Leadership seemed to be grasping at straws and the team was losing its patience.
It was time for a drastic move. It was time to bring in the “Delta Force”: an elite interim leader deployed to help manufacturers meet their strategic objectives.
Within three months, the Delta Force leader had the plant running leaner and meeting its revenue and earnings targets with fewer errors, lower labor costs, safer operations and higher customer satisfaction.
Interim Leaders = Fast Turnaround
Manufacturers often struggle when it comes to optimizing plant operations and efficiency. Whether it’s due to leadership shortcomings, ingrained tolerance for mediocrity, change aversion or lack of vision, they get stuck in a perpetual cycle of failed transformation attempts. Morale takes a nosedive, especially when the leadership cycle creates a pendulum of extremes from no accountability to severe micromanagement.
This is often problematic in private equity scenarios when a portfolio company’s performance is languishing. Legacy leaders may have a hard time moving beyond legacy processes that seem embedded in the ethos of the organization, when these processes are simply bad habits left unchecked.
Calling in the Delta Force can be a smart strategy for delivering rapid transformation with proven results.
The Delta Force Difference
Interim leadership can be a gamechanger for plant transformation and restoring operational excellence when internal efforts have failed. Not only do these individuals bring outstanding expertise and elite-level lean manufacturing strategy honed over decades in the trenches, but they also offer unique characteristics that give them a competitive edge in driving change.
High accountability
Delta Force leaders measure every action, every metric and every tactic on a daily and weekly basis. They’re focused on moving the needle quickly, delivering empirical results and proven impact on KPIs.
Emotional IQ
Their high level of emotional intelligence allows Delta Force leaders to gain trust and credibility quickly. They respect the internal team’s experience and expertise, know how to read the room and have the mentorship acumen to rebuild key stakeholders.
Speed & Execution
Just like their namesake, the manufacturing Delta Force knows there’s no time for waffling, uncertainty or delays. They’re decisive, quick to execute and aren’t afraid to make tough choices.
Resilience
Plant turnarounds are stressful with enormous pressure to perform. These elite experts have proven their mettle over dozens of deployments. Their poise under pressure can be a much-welcome respite for war-worn internal leaders. The Delta Force can offload some of the stress to prevent burnout and the risk of losing top performers.
The Delta Force Objective
The interim leader approach serves multiple objectives for examining systems and revamping processes. It also enables strategies that save money and time, improve performance and profitability and make for a safer, more efficient and productive operation.
The Delta Force can:
Generate Fast Results
Their primary objective is speed and precision with a focus on KPIs. These leaders can rally the troops with a “prove and move” approach that delivers quick, incremental results to build trust and momentum. Unlike a new full-time hire, the Delta Force knows their engagement is limited (typically three, six or nine months). So, the pressure is on to deliver results in that window, where a new-hire leader might take two years to hit their stride.
Bring The Strategy & Charisma
Not only do Delta Force leaders have the proven acumen in turnaround strategy, but also the magnetism, style and enthusiasm to lead a team through a tough transformation. They’re as much advocate as they are strategist, fomenting a can-do attitude with a morale-building approach.
Break with Convention
Because they have an outside perspective, no pre-existing relationships or preconceived notions, the Delta Force can easily set aside legacy mentality. They can look at all the data and pick apart the details with no emotional attachment to provide an objective viewpoint.
Spot Gaps Hiding in Plain Sight
. With more leverage to drive performance, the Delta Force can call out mediocre performers and offer them incentives to level up, identifying skills gaps and upskilling/reskilling opportunities that are required to get the company where it needs to be. Too often, entrenched leaders don’t know what they don’t know because their perspective is limited to their internal experience. But the Delta Force, having worked in so many other environments, can recognize deficiencies immediately.
Overcome Skepticism & Volatility
Many companies fear their team will balk at an outsider coming in to “take over” and their authority will be met with resistance. But that virtually never happens. People want to be part of a winning team and see the company thrive. Interim leaders can tap into that pride in one’s team and overcome the skepticism that may have developed from multiple failed attempts at turnaround. If the team does balk at the changes, the Delta Force leader can quickly call out those challengers and give them the option to get onboard or move on.
Coach Leaders in Sustainability
While some Delta Force leaders stay on for 12-18 months, in most cases, it’s a shorter-term engagement. Part of their role is helping to mentor internal leaders in developing the skills needed to ensure long-term sustainability of the transformation changes. This is crucial for success—without a sustainable plan and structure, even the best Delta Force takeover could turn out to be a failure.
Make the Call Before Mutiny Looks Imminent
Don’t wait until your team is on the verge of staging a mutiny. Call in the Delta Force to activate the collective wisdom and commitment of your team before morale and motivation take a nosedive.
Fast results with proven expertise—that’s the TBM difference, and our Delta Force team delivers impact from Day 1.
