Although I cycle to (and thankfully back home from) work, I do occasionally get the tube.
Such a 4G free mode of transport opens me up to the world of which newspapers’ smartphone apps work best underground when I need my daily intake of sport.
Obviously the gossip column of the BBC website is king, as are the longer articles from the Guardian. However, these apps struggle to hold themselves on the tube and it can end up being a frustrating affair.
Perhaps surprisingly, I think that the best app (on a technical basis) for underground moving-around is the Daily Mail. Yep you heard me right. Whatever you think of their “news” content (and I might well agree with you), they have seriously nailed their app. Next year, I’d like to start developing an app for Russam, whereby once an executive registers their details with us, when we have an opportunity that matches their criteria – such as an interim, NED, chair or search role, or even a suitable event, blog or news article – it sends them a push notification. They can then apply at the touch of a button, express interest in the event or read the article.
Most importantly, I’d probably base the Russam app on the structure and back-end set-up of the Daily Mail app. I would probably be over-ruled immediately by our wonderful Technology Director Tasha Harrison, but at least I could say I’d given it a good go.
However, I digress. Whilst reading sport articles on said polarising app (content-wise), I read this wonderful article from another polarising entity, that of ex England manager and Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle:
www.dailymail.co.uk/Premier-League-owners-lessons-businesses-hire-consultants-fix-managerial-mess
In it, Glenn makes the very valid point (as he frustratingly has the ability to do) that clubs should employ independent consultants. He references McKinsey, and gives Harry Redknapp as an example.
Glenn goes on to suggest that he may set himself up as a consultant – and I agree with him that there may well be a need for this in top-tier sport as there is at all levels of the public, private and charity / not for profit sectors.
One area that I might disagree with him on however is the term independent consultant.
I think Glenn is actually recommending an interim executive – although this should not be confused withe the recent spate of interim managers in the Premier League (think Rafa Benitez at Chelsea along with a host of others whilst their temporary team waited for the real target to become available). Interim executives are over-qualified, hit the ground running, are short term and perform business critical turnaround. Harry Redknapp? Check, check, check, some check (Portsmouth, Tottenham, West Ham) some no check (Southampton, QPR).
Articles like Glenn’s always remind me how interesting I find how other people refer to what I have come to know as an interim executive (I don’t get out much).
To some they are posh freelancers, to others high end contractors, independent consultants or temporary executives. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Rather than try to get everyone to use the phrase interim manager or interim executive, maybe we (and by that I mean the executive recruitment industry) should change our terms to match others in business so that we can help deliver the opportunities that are currently out there with organisations who don’t know or use the same terminology as us.
I also know from experience that when enquiries come in direct to our website or from a Google Adwords / Bing campaign, the new client has more often than not entered a term that does not use the word interim.
Whatever the moniker, its clear that interim executives are dearly needed by organisations in all sectors – we just need to all get together and agree on a name!
What do you think – is Glenn right? Should interim management change its name? Is there a better underground app (on a purely technical basis) than the Daily Mail? Is Klopp the best thing to happen ever to the Premier League? Have the mighty Wycombe Wanderers arrested the October slide?
All comments as usual gratefully received and individually replied to.
Thomas Bridge is the Marketing & Operations Director at Russam GMS.