Boyden Brief Q2 2025: Making the Most of the Mission - Interim Insights on Assignment Management

Market Overview

As we move through the second quarter of 2025, while decision-making is taking longer in many organisations, we have maintained strong engagement with both new and existing clients. Senior-level interim roles remain active across several sectors and our close collaboration with the executive search team allows us to respond to opportunities with agility. Clients are prioritising quality and precision in their hiring and when an interim is needed, the case for bringing in expertise quickly and efficiently is clear.

Against this backdrop, our focus this quarter turns to "assignment management" and how clients can make the most of engaging an interim. Through a series of conversations and informal polling across our network, we gathered valuable insights on how clarity, autonomy and sponsorship throughout the assignment can significantly shape outcomes.

Nearly half of respondents (48%) identified “a clear brief and defined deliverables” as the single most important factor for effective delivery at the start of an assignment. “Access to the right stakeholders” followed closely at 38%, reinforcing the need for alignment and open lines of communication early on. While a “realistic timeline” and “internal team support” were valued, they ranked lower in priority - suggesting that clarity of purpose and stakeholder access outweigh process and pace when it comes to setting interims up for success.

When asked to rank the most challenging aspects of assignment management, interims identified “defining clear deliverables” and “stakeholder management” as the top challenges, with 38% and 28% respectively ranking these as their greatest focus for successful delivery. Adapting to company culture and measuring success were seen as moderately challenging, while time management was least likely to be ranked as the most difficult. The results suggest that clarity around expectations and effective stakeholder engagement are the primary points of focus for interims, highlighting the importance of upfront alignment and communication to set interims up for success.

According to the interim executives on our call, the greatest risk to a successful assignment is “unclear expectations,” with 36% ranking it as the top concern. This was followed by “shifting scope” and “lack of access to decision-makers”, which were also identified as significant risks. While culture or team resistance and unrealistic timelines were noted, they were less frequently seen as the primary challenge. The findings underscore the importance of establishing clear objectives and maintaining stable project parameters to ensure interim assignments stay on track. 

The data reveals that “navigating ambiguity” stands out as the most underrated skill for interim professionals, with 49% of participants ranking it as their top skillset for effective assignment delivery. “Listening and adapting” and “managing up and sideways” followed, while “staying calm under pressure” and “holding boundaries” seemed to be skills expected from clients. This suggests that thriving in uncertain environments is a crucial, yet underappreciated, asset for effective interim delivery. 

When asked about how often interim executives formally structure their ‘check-ins’ with clients, interims most often reported holding structured client meetings weekly (38%) or fortnightly (32%). Monthly check-ins and milestone-based meetings were considerably less frequent. This pattern underscores the importance placed on ongoing, regular communication to ensure project success and client satisfaction.

According to the poll results, the most common approaches to building credibility early in an assignment are delivering quick wins and being flexible depending on the client and the culture of the business, each cited by 32% of interims. Listening and relationship-building was also key, as was asserting their expertise. This suggests that interims value demonstrating how they can achieve results swiftly when starting new assignments but recognise that how to build credibility with a client depends on their culture and the client themselves.

Interim Executive Insights into Assignment Management and Delivery

Insights from interims reveal that the foundation of successful assignments lies in clear, honest communication and early alignment on scope and expectations - areas where many still encounter ambiguity or evolving briefs. Managing scope creep effectively depends on proactive dialogue and regular progress tracking through structured check-ins or project management tools. Trust and credibility are built by adapting to client culture, delivering quick wins and maintaining resilience amid shifting agendas or fractured trust.

Interims also shared valuable “gems” of advice to clients and peers alike:

“Clients should get as much as they can from the time the interim is in role.”

“Make the work sustainable after I’m gone.”

“Be direct and objective.”

“Be open to being challenged.”

“Proactive flexible response.”

“Prepare the other stakeholders (in a light way).”

“Become embedded in the team.”

“Experience and the ability to hit the deck running.”

“Open, honest, collaboration.”

These succinct insights capture the pragmatic mindset required to navigate interim assignments successfully, underlining that beyond delivering on objectives, the focus should be on creating lasting impact and fostering strong, collaborative relationships.

Advice for Clients

The interim assignment landscape continues to evolve with a strong emphasis on clarity, communication and adaptability. While many clients engage interims to solve pressing challenges, the degree to which they understand and fully leverage interim expertise varies significantly. Clear, upfront briefs and early alignment on scope are critical to managing expectations and preventing scope creep, yet ambiguity and shifting agendas remain common challenges.

Successful interims emphasise the importance of proactive stakeholder engagement, frequent progress tracking and transparent communication throughout assignments. Tools like weekly check-ins and progress boards help maintain alignment and enable timely course corrections. Building trust, demonstrating resilience and balancing strategic focus with operational realities are key attributes that drive assignment success.

Ultimately, the most effective interim assignments are those where clients and interims work collaboratively with openness, honesty and flexibility. By fostering these partnerships, organisations can maximise the impact of interim talent, ensuring sustainable outcomes that extend beyond the assignment.

At Boyden, we remain committed to supporting both clients and interims in navigating these complexities, ensuring that every assignment is managed with precision and that interim expertise is fully harnessed to drive meaningful business results.

If you are looking to engage an interim executive for your business, please contact us on 020 3651 6993.