Interview with Leonard Iacobuș about the transition from traditional executive roles to flexible collaborations, strategic decision-making, company transformation, and the creation of sustainable results.
Leonard Iacobuș is a leadership and strategic management professional with experience in both traditional executive roles and entrepreneurial environments. In recent years, he has focused on the fractional leadership model, through which he delivers clear value to companies in growth or undergoing transformation. He is motivated by projects with real impact, where strategy, people, and execution are coherently aligned. He believes in pragmatic leadership, adapted to context and oriented toward sustainable results.
Fractional Insider: How was your transition from a traditional career to fractional consulting?
Leonard Iacobuș: The transition was gradual, not an abrupt break. After years spent in full-time executive roles, I realized I could have a greater impact by working with multiple organizations at key moments in their evolution. Fractional leadership allowed me to use my accumulated experience exactly where it is most needed: strategic clarity, structuring, and difficult decision-making. It was a change that required more autonomy, but also more responsibility.
Fractional Insider: What attracted you most to this model, and what challenges did it bring?
Leonard Iacobuș: What attracted me first and foremost was the flexibility combined with impact. I can enter an organization quickly, understand the context, and contribute directly to important decisions.
The main challenge is building trust in a short period of time and delivering value without being present every day. It is also essential to know when to say “no” to projects that are not a good fit.
Fractional Insider: How do you choose the projects and clients you work with?
Leonard Iacobuș: I look at three things: the company’s context, the openness of the leadership, and the clarity of objectives. I’m not looking for perfection, but for a genuine desire for change. I choose projects where I know my experience can produce measurable results and where there is a relationship based on trust and transparency. For me, human compatibility is just as important as the business objective.
Fractional Insider: Tell us about a moment when you had a major impact as a fractional leader.
Leonard Iacobuș: One of the most relevant moments was with a company facing a strategic deadlock, with stalled growth and a demotivated team. Within a few months, I helped clarify direction, redefine priorities, and restructure decision-making processes. The result was a relaunch of growth and a much more aligned team. The impact was not only financial, but also cultural.
Fractional Insider: What are the main differences between being a full-time executive and a fractional one?
Leonard Iacobuș: As a full-time executive, you are deeply anchored in operations and daily dynamics. As a fractional leader, you have more perspective and can more clearly see patterns and bottlenecks. The fractional role is more focused on critical decisions, strategy, and mentoring, rather than micromanagement. In both cases, responsibility is high, but its nature is different.
Fractional Insider: How do you explain the value of a fractional CEO to a skeptical CEO?
Leonard Iacobuș: I explain that they are not paying for time, but for better decisions made faster. A fractional CEO brings senior-level experience without the costs and rigidity of a permanent role. It is an efficient solution for companies that need mature leadership at a certain stage, not necessarily indefinitely.
Fractional Insider: What are the most common mistakes companies make when working with fractional leaders?
Leonard Iacobuș: The most common mistake is a lack of clarity: vague objectives and misaligned expectations. Another mistake is treating the fractional leader like an external consultant without real decision-making access. For the relationship to work, there must be involvement, transparency, and a clear mandate.
Fractional Insider: How do you see the evolution of this career model in the coming years?
Leonard Iacobuș: I believe fractional leadership will become increasingly mainstream, especially in the current economic context. Companies are looking for flexibility, and senior professionals are looking for meaning and autonomy. We will see more organizations combining strong internal teams with high-level fractional leadership.
Fractional Insider: What advice would you give to a senior professional considering becoming fractional?
Leonard Iacobuș: Don’t view this step as a “Plan B,” but as a strategic choice. It’s important to be clear about your value, to know what problems you solve and for whom. And perhaps most importantly, invest in relationships and reputation—these are the foundation of this model.
A practical discussion about executive experience, strategic clarity, and the real value delivered to organizations in growth or undergoing change.
