Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.

How CEOs Can Benefit From Having a Chief of Staff

CEOs consistently cite complexity as their number one concern today. Many top and emerging leaders are using corporate chiefs of staff not only to navigate that complexity, but to thrive in it. It’s time for you to think about the role, too.

Understanding the role
A chief of staff is a strategic partner who relies on exceptional organizational and people skills to perform all manner of tasks that do not neatly fit into the purview of your existing executive leadership team or department heads.

Some examples:

  • Managing your organization’s daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual meetings, communications, and processes to ensure they adapt to changes in the market and the organization.
  • Preparing you for internal and external meetings with analysis and bios on key players in the room.
  • Challenging the assumptions and numbers behind the scorecards and reports you use to make important decisions, and sometimes challenging your thinking behind closed doors.
  • Managing special projects across departments, like new frameworks or business models, restructuring, or business reviews.

Max Levchin, CEO of financial services technology company Affirm, says “A CEO has three main responsibilities: 1) articulate the vision; 2) attract talent; and 3) ensure solvency. The truth is, much more lands on a CEO’s plate at any given minute and my chief of staff works to take as much as possible off my plate so I can focus on the highest level strategy and decisions that require my attention without neglecting the other important issues that foster growth.”

“My chief of staff works to take as much as possible off my plate so I can focus on the highest level strategy and decisions that require my attention without neglecting the other important issues that foster growth.”

Look at three pivots to assess your business case
There are  three “pivots” you can look at to decide if you need someone in this role.

  1. Organizational dynamics. A chief of staff can help where you have multiple, diverse lines of business; geographically dispersed teams; significant changes in leadership or organization structure; spinoffs; or well-intentioned internal activities that end up compounding complexity.
  1. Benefits that top and emerging leaders can reap from having the role, such as freeing you to focus on your highest and best use of time, enabling you to stay connected to reality on the ground, and increasing your ability to make and execute great decisions with your team and not just get unquestioning agreement from those around you.
  1. Your primary deliverables, like rhythm of the business, communications that are consistent in theme and messages, budgets and planning cycles, and special projects like the ones noted above.

Building the case and making changes
Carelessly crafted and executed, the chief of staff can be seen as a wedge between you and your organization, an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy, and a complete waste of resources. Looking at the three pivots in some detail can give you the context you need to build the business case and thoughtfully structure and execute the role.

Paul Adams, President and CEO of Sound Financial Group, promoted his executive assistant, Lea Wold, into the chief of staff role after realizing he was leaving some of her skills and value on the table. “As an EA, the vision for her role was ‘follow close and do as I do.’ Now, it is ‘be a key team member in organizing the firm’s human capital to achieve our firm’s outcomes.’ This includes, at times, disagreeing with me and challenging other senior team members in how that may best be achieved.”

Even if you never hire a chief of staff, the assessment of your business case for one can help you identify and address gaps in your current approach or team.

 


MORE LIKE THIS

  • Get the CEO Briefing

    Sign up today to get weekly access to the latest issues affecting CEOs in every industry
  • upcoming events

    Roundtable

    Strategic Planning Workshop

    1:00 - 5:00 pm

    Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

    Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

    1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
    2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
    3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

     

    Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

    Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

    2:00 - 5:00 pm

    Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

    Limited space available.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

    Golf Outing

    10:30 - 5:00 pm
    General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
    Sponsored by UBS

    General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

    The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.