“Efficient, sustainable, resilient: an interview with Thomas Müller about current challenges and innovative solutions in the procurement environment and supply chain management”. A holistic approach to executive interim management is the key to sustainable success in a wide range of areas.
DE BORD INTERNATIONAL INTERIM helps you to optimize and sustainably stabilize your organizational and process-related topics with specialized interim managers.
Thomas Müller is a mechanical engineer from ETH Zurich and also holds an MBA from the University of Chicago. He began his professional career at ABB, where he quickly moved into purchasing and gained valuable experience in various positions at all hierarchical levels. Ten years ago he took on his first ad interim mandate, and since then this activity has been his professional focus. At the same time, I run a small company that specializes in innovation. In his private life, he is married to an entrepreneur. Together they share a passion for travel, enjoy sport and are dedicated to tending their large garden.
Can you describe a recent interim role where you were tasked with solving a specific problem or leading a transition? What were the main challenges and how did you solve them?
In one of my last interim roles, I took over the overall purchasing function of an international company. The situation was as follows: My predecessor had left the company at short notice, the purchasing department was struggling with significant supply bottlenecks and was increasingly losing its reputation within the organization. These circumstances led to a great deal of uncertainty in the team.
I therefore had to take action on three fronts: the supply bottlenecks, the insecure team and the reputation of the purchasing department.
Initially, I decided to prioritize the supply bottlenecks. My approach was strategic: from a business perspective, securing the supply chain was the most pressing issue. Improving the supply situation would have a positive impact on the entire purchasing department, as successes would become visible, the team would gain confidence and the reputation of the purchasing department as a whole would be strengthened.
How do you manage to quickly familiarize yourself with a company and gain the trust of the team and stakeholders?
In the first two weeks of a mandate, it is crucial to talk to as many people as possible within the company. These conversations are not limited to the respective department; rather, it is essential to also obtain perspectives from internal customers, suppliers and adjacent organizational units.
This comprehensive networking gives me valuable insights and allows me to recognize where the “shoe pinches”. The focus here is on identifying potential problem areas and understanding the needs of all those involved. This approach not only creates a solid basis of trust, but also enables me to take targeted measures more quickly that are supported by all stakeholders.
When you are assigned to a company, how do you assess the current situation and decide on your priorities?
I get a first impression during the interview. The client usually has a clear idea of how the area in question should function and where the main problems lie. I then check the information obtained during the interview in personal meetings within the company to ensure that it corresponds to reality.
My priorities are always the economic success of the company. Once this stability is guaranteed, I can turn my attention to other issues, particularly HR matters, which are crucial to the company's long-term success.
How do you ensure a smooth handover once your interim role has ended?
To ensure a smooth handover, I involve the successor in all relevant meetings, business trips and appointments from day one. This allows them to quickly gain a comprehensive picture and achieve a “high flying altitude”. At the end of each working day, we hold a short meeting to reflect on the experience and clarify any unanswered questions. This transparency is important to me to ensure that there are no unexpected surprises at the end of my mandate.
When it comes to HR issues, I initially take a defensive approach to communication. My aim is for the successor to get to know the team themselves and gain a personal impression of the employees. I only provide more detailed insights into my observations and assessments at a later stage of the induction process, and only if this is desired.
Can you give an example of when you encountered resistance from the team or stakeholders? How did you deal with it?
In one of my mandates, the purchasing organization was anything but optimally structured, which necessitated a fundamental restructuring. As part of these changes, a management level was eliminated, which also resulted in a number of redundancies. When I communicated these measures to the purchasing team, the reaction was understandably shock and uncertainty.
To counteract this, I took plenty of time for individual and group discussions in which I explained the background to the organizational changes, responded to questions and took the employees' fears seriously. Especially in situations like this, it is important to face critical questions openly and communicate transparently. For me, this approach is a key building block for creating trust in transformation processes and making the change process sustainable.
How do you measure success in your role as an interim manager? Which KPIs do you normally focus on?
Measuring success as an interim manager depends heavily on the respective market and the specific challenges of the company. The relevant KPIs can therefore vary depending on the situation: In one company, the focus in purchasing might be on delivery capability, while in another, purchasing costs are relevant. There is therefore no universal set of KPIs that applies equally to all mandates.
For me personally, an assignment is successful when the management expresses their trust in me and asks whether I could imagine taking on the position as a permanent employee. This shows me that my work is appreciated and that I have created real added value for the company.
In your experience, how do you deal with decision-making in situations with incomplete information or tight deadlines?
In situations with incomplete information or tight deadlines, the most important thing is to make a decision in the first place and implement it decisively. This is followed - depending on the situation - by a “settling phase” in which the decision is observed and adjusted if necessary.
As a complete set of information is rarely available in practice, it is crucial to differentiate between essential and less important information. It is also important to include possible secondary effects in the decision.
In order to better assess the effects, I simulate various scenarios together with the parties involved (“What if...”). This provides a rough understanding of how the decision could affect the company and helps to better weigh up the risks.
How do you deal with team dynamics, especially when you join a team that may be going through organizational change or uncertainty?
When I join a team that is going through organizational change or uncertainty, it is first important to identify the key people and “mood makers” and get them on board with the planned transformation. These people can make a significant contribution to the acceptance and implementation of the change through their attitude and influence.
However, if it is not possible to convince these difficult team members, it is sometimes unavoidable to part ways with them. This is necessary in order not to jeopardize the transformation and to strengthen team cohesion in the long term.
How do you keep up to date with the industry or functional area you typically work in, given that you work on a temporary basis?
Purchasing is per se a cross-industry field of activity, which requires flexibility and the ability to grasp things quickly. One key aspect is being able to quickly recognize whether you are in a buyer's or seller's market, as this largely determines how you behave towards suppliers. Depending on the market situation, I adapt my negotiation strategies and supplier relationships to achieve the best results for the company.
What systems or tools do you use to manage your workflows and monitor progress during an assignment?
For very operational activities, the local ERP system plays an essential role, as a clean and up-to-date database is essential. In such cases, I focus on data quality to enable well-founded decisions.
Situation-specific KPIs also play a central role. I either use existing KPIs or define new ones that are tailored to the respective challenges. The regular review of these KPIs at fixed intervals is necessary in order to make progress transparent and comprehensible for all parties involved.
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