Fireside chat of WIRO e.V. with Ralf H. KOMOR
At the end of November 2017, WIRO e.V. invited to a fireside chat with Ralf H. KOMOR of KOMOR INTERIM MANAGEMENT, an alumnus from the Faculty of Industrial Engineering at Rosenheim Technical University and a distinguished B2B Sales Specialist. In front of an audience of alumni, students and professors, Mr. Komor gave an exciting insight into the temporary management of companies and functional areas.
Ralf H. KOMOR (4th from left) gave exciting insights into the world of an Interim Manager
11.12.2017
Interim Managers are a rare, professional species. Though there are about 6,000 specialists working on a temporary basis throughout Germany, only 400 of them are qualified managers with management experience who have joined forces in the DDIM (Dachgesellschaft Deutsches Interim Management e.V.). As an Interim Manager, Ralf Komor is active in sales functions in medium-sized companies in German industry. A job usually lasts between six and twelve months and the start of employment can be within a few days. Orders often come about in such a way that the management or shareholders point out that the company is in a bad way. Then the Interim Manager comes into play via recommendation from his network. Its clients are primarily the mechanical and plant engineering industries as well as the metal, electrical and automotive industries. Ralf Komor only accepts mandates if the chemistry and the contents of the order are right between him and the management. This is because the management must hand over the decision-making authority to Mr Komor during his mandate. Otherwise it makes no sense. Through disclosure and clear work plans with milestones, it creates transparency for all those involved. Regular feedback loops ensure coordination with the company management and clients.
The Interim Manager does not work alone, but forms his team from the company’s employees and their competencies. “Not everyone may be enthusiastic at the beginning, but when the workforce sees that topics are consistently initiated and implemented, everyone is usually there,” says Ralf Komor. Transparency and communication – in both directions – is of particular importance, both towards the management and towards the employees. Defining clear goals and jointly developing and implementing measures is one of the conclusions of the Interim Manager Komor. This is what distinguishes Interim Management from management consulting: using and activating the potential of the existing team in order to drive lasting change and be successful. It is important to him that all departments in the company are involved and know the defined measures.
Mr. Komor is not nervous before a new assignment. Rather he has a belly tickle and is curious about people and the business environment. You have to like people to be a successful Interim Manager, another conclusion. Digitalisation is playing an increasingly important role in Interim Management. But also, in other respects: For him, Sales 4.0 means gaining time to spend four days on site working out solutions with customers in a targeted manner.
You don’t become an Interim Manager with a degree. It takes experience and competence. Crucial for Ralf Komor was the experience of a merger in which two companies were merged after the purchase and his function was doubled. Lucky for the medium-sized businesses – because now he is using his sales expertise to put companies back on track as a business angel. When asked about measurable success, Mr. Komor speaks figuratively: “Companies cry when I come; if you cry when I go, too, then I was successful.” In short, Interim Managers are temporary executives with high expectations of themselves and all those involved, without losing sight of the person and his or her strengths.
We had Mr. Komor as an alumnus of the Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management and profiled B2B sales specialists for a fireside chat at the university. The evening was for my colleagues and me, very informative, technically substantial, but also entertaining. Mr. Komor has presented the contents with passion and thus conveyed the image that he does what he does very professionally. I am happy to say that this was one of the most impressive fireside chats in recent years.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sandra Krommes, Sustainable Engineering & Management – Chairwoman of the Association for the Promotion of Industrial Engineering (WIRO e.V.) Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Industrial Engineering
The WIRO fireside chat is a format in which alumni and other personalities provide an exclusive insight into selected professional topics. In addition, contacts are established between students and people working in the economy. Passionate discussions and an enrichment of the different perspectives are included.
Source: Rosenheim University of Technology – Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management
