The fractional gains of senior leaders: Fact or fallacy? 

Technological innovation, advances in remote work, and changed post-pandemic priorities have led to companies hiring senior talent to occupy key leadership roles on a part-time basis.  Known as “fractional leaders”, such individuals, who blend strategic and functional leadership with a hands-on approach, typically offer their services to startups and SMEs. This enables organizations to benefit from key leadership skills without the expense and commitment of full-time hires and provides senior execs with new opportunities and career flexibility.  

Fact or fallacy? As outsiders, it’s much harder for part-time leaders to tell the CEO what they need to hear. 

Answer: Fallacy. Power asymmetries often make it hard for employees, regardless of how senior, to tell the CEO what they need to hear. By contrast, fractional leaders are better placed to speak truth to power and have a greater readiness to initiate difficult conversations, offering CEOs a different dynamic and bringing a broader, more independent perspective to the business. 

Fact or fallacy? Hiring fractional leadership is a quick and easy way to resolve problems.  

Answer: Fallacy. Integrating a fractional leader into your organization requires consideration and planning. While there are similarities to full-time hiring, the unique dynamics of fractional engagements require key conversations with any new hire to address specific needs and expectations, ensure seamless integration, and foster an effective partnership.  

Fact or fallacy? Fractional work starts with defining the work to be accomplished, not the role to be filled. 

Answer: Fact. Fractional work starts with understanding the work to be accomplished, not by defining the role to be filled. To do this, ask: 

• What’s the actual need from this function? 

• What kind of investment are we willing or able to make? 

• Does the work need to be full-time? 

• What’s our budget? 

• What are the key characteristics required for a leader in this role? 

And remember to ensure a good fit between the organization and the new hire. Both parties should set and manage expectations regarding the role, its responsibilities, and how it might evolve with the organization’s growth. It’s particularly helpful to discuss the endpoint of the fractional relationship before it even begins.  

Lastly, both parties should be sure to maintain an effective relationship. A successful fractional relationship demands mutual active management and intentional effort. Fractional leaders must be deliberate in structuring their time and setting clear boundaries with clients to ensure a focus on essential tasks.  

This checklist will help both parties follow good practice: 

• Maintain consistent and open communication throughout the engagement 

• Ensure that the organization and fractional leaders are aligned on expectations  

• Agree what success looks like  

• Establish metrics for measuring the impact and value of the engagement 

• Check in frequently to confirm alignment on priorities and deliverables 

Ultimately, a successful fractional engagement is built on transparency and trust. Adopting an approach of over-communication can pre-empt potential misunderstandings and align expectations. 

Further reading 

How Part-Time Senior Leaders Can Help Your Business 

Five trends that are reshaping the four Bs of talent management 

Is the single CEO leadership model still fit for purpose? 

Making the most of your team’s combined talents 

Death of the role: Designing work to attract, retain, and select talent in a dynamic world 

Setting over salary