In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty and Michelle Caldwell discuss the emerging trend of fractional leadership, particularly the role of fractional CxOs. They explore the reasons behind the rise of these roles, including the impact of the pandemic, the mass resignation trend, and the increasing acceptance of remote work. Michelle shares insights on the benefits of fractional leadership, such as flexibility and access to top talent, as well as the importance of defining success and cultural fit. The conversation also touches on the risks associated with fractional roles and how organizations can effectively engage fractional leaders.

Keywords

fractional leadership, CXOs, remote work, business transformation, talent acquisition, organizational strategy, executive roles, innovation, consulting, Synozur

Takeaways

• Fractional leaders provide strategic expertise without long-term commitment.
• The mass resignation trend has led to talent shortages.
• Remote work has made fractional roles more acceptable.
• Cross-industry exposure enhances innovation and creativity.
• Cultural fit is crucial for fractional leadership effectiveness.
• Fractional roles can help organizations test fit before full-time commitment.
• Fractional leaders often bring fresh perspectives and energy.

Sound Bites

• "We can find talent anywhere in the world."
• "Cultural fit is super important."
• "Fractional leadership is about flexibility."

References

The West Wing John Spencer played Leo McGarry, Chief of Staff for President Josiah Bartlet on the NBC drama.

Simon's Sinek's podcast, A Bit of Optimism | An inspiring podcast with Simon Sinek can be found on most major podcast platforms.

Events

• "SharePoint: From Concept to Creation to Impact + Live AMA" webinar with Jeff Teper | Jan. 29, 2025, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PST
• 2025 Trends Shaping Knowledge. Sponsored by ClearPeople, Katya Linossi, their CEO will host Marjan Hermkes (LIME), Barry Byrne (Novartis & the Knowledge Summit) and Chris McNulty (Synozur) to look ahead at knowledge, AI use cases, technology trends and more. January 30 at 8AM PST, 11AM EST.
• M365 Miami 2025 | Feb. 6-7, 2025
• Microsoft 365 Community Conference | May 5-8, 2025 (Vegas) Jeff Teper and Jared Spataro will be keynoting from Microsoft, along with many other speakers from Microsoft, Synozur, partners, customers and more.
• TechCon 365 Seattle | June 23-27, 2025 Synozur will be sponsoring and speaking at TechCon 365 Seattle.

Credits

Polaris is produced with the help of our friends at Riverside.fm. Our theme song, "Alternative Dream" is provided courtesy of Adobe.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Fractional CXOs

09:15 The Rise of Fractional Leadership

18:13 Defining Success in Fractional Roles

24:16 Synozur's Approach to CxOs

26:02 Retaining Fractional Talent

27:23 Things to know

28:14 Recommended Content

29:33 Upcoming Events in 2025

31:42 Wrap Up and Thank You