Interim Management in the Automotive Industry The Role of a Problem Solver in Stabilising Projects a

Interim management is used not only by small and medium–sized enterprises that find themselves in a financial crisis they are unable to overcome on their own, but also routinely by global corporations in the automotive industry, where we generally distinguish between two forms: Substitution: Filling a vacant position to maintain continuity of the company’s operations as a temporary solution during the absence of a permanent employee or delays in recruitment. Project–based: Deploying an expert to address a specific task or operational problem, which may be complex, cut across multiple departments, or be unattractive or unpopular with a permanent employee.

Over the past 24 months, I have worked for a global Tier 1 supplier as a Task Force Leader (Problem Solver) during the ramp–up of new production programmes. In this role, I am not dealing with a liquidity crisis, nor usually with production stoppages or disrupted deliveries, but rather with escalating costs that reduce profitability and place a burden on the company.

The “Silo Effect” and Process Alibis

Corporate structures are characterised by a high level of process formalisation. Paradoxically, precisely defined procedures tend to fail in situations at the boundaries between responsibilities. When roles are clearly divided but objectives are still not being achieved, a pathological “silo effect” emerges. Individual departments (quality, production, logistics, project management, design and engineering) invest their energy in defending their own procedures and shifting responsibility elsewhere. Process rules are used as an alibi. Every system contains grey areas and interfaces where responsibility becomes blurred and, instead of cooperating, teams focus on absolving themselves of blame.

The Role of the Problem Solver

For these tasks, companies can bring in a specialist who is not burdened by previous actions and decisions or by personal animosities. Instead, they are able to quickly get to grips with the problem, identify common ground and bring together even teams and departments that are reluctant to cooperate, both within the plant and at a global level. And if they demonstrate that they are capable not only of reallocating tasks, but also of simplifying processes, removing obstacles and sometimes even taking over part of the workload themselves, trust and a willingness to cooperate will follow. As a certified member of the CAIM association, I had an advantage when securing the assignment, as membership in this organisation demonstrates that you have achieved a certain level of knowledge and competence in the field, as well as professional integrity. From the client’s perspective, this significantly reduces the additional risk involved during already critical and decisive phases of a project.