Many new professions are emerging today, born of a fairly recent professional revolution. The founders of these new companies, often startups, almost all identify themselves as entrepreneurs. Interim managers fall into this category, with a more entrepreneurial dimension.

An entrepreneur undertakes a new venture through sheer force of will, without the backing of an existing company. Examples such as Henry Ford, Yoichiro Honda, Walt Disney and Bill Gates have shown the way. More recently, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos have become a source of inspiration for Generation Y.

Most entrepreneurs are focused on business almost non-stop. Every activity is a challenge, and risk-taking is their hallmark. Obstacles don’t scare them, and they always bounce back successfully from setbacks. Work doesn’t impress them, it’s a way of life. The desire to learn more and discover new things is a constant.

We prefer to refer to interim managers as intrapreneurs, as they work within an existing structure and are not destined to stay. On the other hand, their mindset remains the same: they are constantly innovating, since no two assignments are alike. Creative and disruptive, they are true ambassadors for continuing education. Training teams, proposing strategic additions by creating pivotal positions, mastering the talent pool already available within the company…

These are all areas in which interim managers excel. In many struggling companies, intrapreneurial managers are a source of stability and inspiration for employees. In fact, it’s a fundamental link in the chain of managerial success.