Primer for the Interim Chair.

Objective: Being successful in the role of an Interim Chair requires an approach to transitional leadership that is different from that of individuals filling the Chair role permanently. This article reviews pertinent literature on the topic.

Method: The author reviewed the literature, cited pertinent articles, and supplemented with personal experiences as an Interim Chair.

Results: The author highlights several key questions that one should ask before taking an Interim Chair position to ensure that he or she has proper support and the skills to do the job, and he presents strategies for developing a transition leadership agenda and mechanisms to gain faculty support. Finally, the author offers practical suggestions for how individuals can develop the skills that may enable them to successfully perform the role of Interim Chair.

Conclusion: By careful attention to organizational dynamics and to ensuring proper support, an Interim Chair can be an effective force for moving a department forward. The experience of Interim Chairs needs to be researched quantitatively to fill a large gap in the literature.