Emer Wynne is a change and transformation interim specialist with more than 15 years of experience delivering transformation programmes across multiple sectors. Having moved from Big Four consulting into interim leadership roles, she shares insights and advice on career development, organisational change, transformation delivery, her experience working with BIE over the last 15 years and the current market for change professionals
I left Big Four consulting because I wanted a more flexible, values-led career in large-scale change and transformation. With three children born in four years, consulting was difficult to balance with family life, and interim work gave me more choice over the clients and assignments I took on. I moved from consulting into interim because I felt I would have more choice over the clients that I would work with and because doing generative work that matters is really important to me.
Change and transformation leaders need a blend of psychological insight, execution discipline and personal resilience. The work is deeply people-focused, but it also requires the ability to operate in disruptive, ambiguous environments where organisations face competing pressures. My advice is to understand the psychology of change, understand it well and to remember that the rigour of change execution is non-negotiable.
My advice is to understand the psychology of change, understand it well and to remember that the rigour of change execution is non-negotiable.
The interim market has become more demanding because organisations are no longer managing one major transformation at a time; they are managing multiple overlapping changes at scale. I describe it as moving from a reasonably paced transformation agenda to a very complex and high expectations-based transformation. Leaders are now navigating geopolitical instability, digital transformation and intergenerational expectations at the same time, which makes the interim leader’s role more strategic and more stretching.
Leaders are now navigating geopolitical instability, digital transformation and intergenerational expectations at the same time, which makes the interim leader’s role more strategic and more stretching.
A successful transformation leader combines strong sponsorship, courage, clarity and adaptive leadership. In my experience, transformation succeeds when there is somebody on the executive team who is accountable for a transformation and who will hold steady on what the outcome needs to be. But leadership is also internal work: David Whyte’s idea of building “an inner imaginative discipline” captures the courage and simplicity leaders need “in the face of momentous events and besieged circumstances.”
A successful transformation leader combines strong sponsorship, courage, clarity and adaptive leadership.
People-led change matters because transformation only becomes real when people have the energy, trust and confidence to work differently. Change leaders are competing for people’s energy and for their willingness to take risks almost on a daily basis. That means successful transformation is not just about process; it is about helping leaders, managers and teams understand the outcome, believe it is credible and feel supported to move towards it.
Successful transformation is not just about process; it is about helping leaders, managers and teams understand the outcome, believe it is credible and feel supported to move towards it.
Psychology is central to effective organisational change because leaders must understand how people experience uncertainty, risk and disruption. My own career has been shaped by studying both the psychology of change and the rigour of how to implement change from a people perspective. That combination matters because change is emotionally demanding work, and leaders need to build their own resilience before they can help others through transformation.
Organisations should approach digital transformation by balancing pace, judgement and stability. The fourth industrial revolution is not only about technology; it is disrupting every part of how organisations operate. Leaders need to decide where and how to invest, assess how proven the technology is, and then bring people with them so transformation creates sustainable value rather than simply adding noise and pressure.
My advice to future interim transformation leaders is to be outcome-focused, build personal resilience and keep asking where they are creating value. I would encourage them to do the work for yourself personally because interim change roles can be very emotionally draining. I would also ask more questions at the end of assignments about the impact that I have had and the value that I’m bringing, because lasting transformation is measured not only by deliverables, but by the change that continues after the assignment ends.
My advice to future interim transformation leaders is to be outcome-focused, build personal resilience and keep asking where they are creating value.
