FILLING GAPS IN MANAGEMENT
Temporary executives can help give companies greater staffing flexibility

PETER DIEKMEYER, Montreal Gazette, Tuesday, June 11, 2002 Print Version (PDF)

Charles Dollimore had a problem. The company he runs, MHD International Aviation Parts Inc., needed to meet International Standards Organization requirements to qualify for a big distribution contract it had just won from aerospace-components manufacturer Honeywell Inc.

"We wanted to get someone on board who could help us implement the systems and handle the paperwork required to get ISO 9001 certification," Dollimore said. "But we are a small company, and could not afford to create another full-time management position."
So Dollimore turned to Denis Le Breton, an associate with the Montreal office of the Osborne Group, a network of senior executives that helps businesses fill gaps in their management structures, either for short-term or temporary assignments. Le Breton, who like all Osborne associates has more than 20 years experience, much of it in manufacturing and supply-chain management, worked at MHD Aviation for about a year.

Training Employees
During that time, Le Breton came in once or twice a week. He spent his time training MHD Aviation's 25 employees, supervising the implementation of new operational systems and completing the firm's quality-procedure manuals.

According to Dollimore, Le Breton's role in implementing the new system was crucial. ISO requirements extend far beyond product quality to encompass almost all of a company's functions, from its sales and marketing to its paperwork.

"We already had a substantial quality-control system in place. But ISO certification meant big changes in many procedures, Dollimore said. "Denis was a big help because he did the work, unlike many consultants who just come in and draft recommendations."

In today's fast-moving economy, temporary or part-time assignments like those completed by Osborne Group personnel are increasingly common.
Today's businesses come and go with increasing frequency. Consequently, their lifespans are much shorter than those of a generation ago and job turnaround is much faster.

And within those companies, departments and jobs spring up and disappear even faster.

That puts managers who need to fill a temporary or part-time need in a tough position. They can try to distribute the extra work to existing employees. But this often risks a big backlash.
Or they can hire a new person and hope that they find more work when the initial assignment is complete.
The problem with this approach is there are moral and possibly legal implications involved in hiring an employee away from a permanent job to fill a position that is unstable by nature.

"I could never do that," Dollimore said. "I would much rather be straightforward and find someone to complete a specific task. Then when the assignment is finished, we either schedule another or move on."

The new ISO 9001 certification will be a big boost for MHD Aviation.

To date, most of its revenue is for replacement parts for military aircraft used by the Canadian and U.S. governments, such as Lockheed Martin's Hercules C-130 transport and the P-3 Orion search plane.

But neither government is as insistent on ISO certification as the European countries. So, having an internationally recognized quality-control system could pay off in additional international contracts.

"The big manufacturers don't want to carry excess inventory on the shelf," Dollimore said. "And that's opening a lot of doors for (distributors like us)."

According to Jacques Caussignac, managing principal of Osborne's Montreal office, temporary assignments can be win-win arrangements for both the manager and the client.

Buying Into Concept
And it seems both groups are buying into the concept. In just five years, the Osborne Group has grown from about 15 associates in its Toronto office to about 75 throughout the country.
Surprisingly, few Osborne executives are looking to turn their temporary assignments into permanent ones. "Many have already accumulated considerable savings or pension benefits and just want to stay active," Caussignac said. "I grew up believing in Freedom 55. But I would be bored if I retired."

Osborne associates are targeting almost all businesses, but according to Caussignac, they can add the most value to startup companies, temporary projects or transition situations such as succession arrangements.

In terms of cost, the Osborne Group bills clients for the executive's salary on a per diem basis, plus a markup ranging from 20 to 25 per cent to cover the organization's administrative, sales and marketing expenses.

Dollimore was so impressed with his experience using a temporary manager that he has just hired another Osborne associate to complete a human-resources plan for MHD Aviation.
"There is a real demand for experienced interim senior staff in the marketplace," Dollimore said. "I think they have really found their niche."

peter@peterdiekmeyer.com

FILLING GAPS IN MANAGEMENT Temporary executives can help give companies greater staffing flexibility

FILLING GAPS IN MANAGEMENT
Temporary executives can help give companies greater staffing flexibility