It’s 120 days since I started my first Lucilius Interim project, as Interim CFO for Esprit, the fashion company. 120 days, which have been as intense, tough, stimulating and rewarding as any in my career. Being part of the fundamental re-start at Esprit and making a difference to Finance, the Team, the Company, has meant a great deal to me.
A few impressions:
Speed may be of the essence, but diligence is what makes speed sustainable. When decisions have no time to mature, the ones you take need to be rock-solid.
A year ago, Stefan Homeister made me write down my leadership principles, and in this new, super-fast environment, I’ve relied a lot on the clarity this gives for day-to-day self-guidance. I’ll write some more about this topic soon.
Being 'committed, yet free', in Mary Midgley’s version of the old Stoic maxim, is for me the biggest change and perhaps the greatest privilege. Fully committed to the Client and its people, yet free from the need to jockey for position or defend the past: What better ground to work for what’s best!
Thanks a lot to all of you who have encouraged me to embark upon the Interim path.
Dietmar
Lucilius Interim
Financial Leadership – Restructuring – Finance Upgrade & Transformation
Photo by Adrian Curiel on Unsplash
