Chief of Staff - Candidate
Behavioral Characteristics of effective Chiefs of Staff
There are a lot of differing competencies required to effectively perform as Chief of Staff. Many are industry dependent. However, regardless of the industry the most successful Chiefs tend to have the following behavioral characteristics.
Self-Awareness & Understanding: Top Chiefs of Staff (CoS) are self-aware and very evolved. They have a lot of their own personal and professional development/growth done> They understand their strengths and weaknesses. They do not contaminate conversations and can easily see the PROCESS of the human interactions, real time. They can be in the conversation and observing the dynamics at the same time.
No Inflated Ego plus High E.Q: Everyone has an Ego. It is necessary for drive and ambition. It’s an INFLATED EGO that gets people in trouble. The CoS role can never be about ME. There’s no room for arrogant, selfish or inauthentic behavior. If they exist it damages everything. They also tend to have very high emotional intelligence and consequently are great empathizers and connectors with all types of personalities.
Service Mindset: Great CoS’s work in service of the enterprise as a whole. He/she must have a strong grasp of service and stewardship. While the CEO is their direct boss, they also support/serve the other Execs.
Listening and Synthesizing: An effective CoS cannot know everything and must be a MASTER of active listening. Without getting lost in the detail they must then be able to synthesize that information and distill it into meaningful and useful nuggets of knowledge.
Integrity,Trust and Diplomacy: He/she must be capable of building trust fast. The CoS is regularly in possession of sensitive information that can harm others. People must feel comfortable in sharing information knowing that if/when it may be used, that they are protected and safe. Trust and integrity are the glue that binds ALL relationships and is even more critical than normal compared to other roles. They also tend to be masters of diplomacy & exceptionally discrete.
Executive Presence & Credibility: The best chiefs have authentic executive presence. They have deep cycles of learning in a broad set of functions. They can command respect based on strong intellect and industry experience. They tend to be mature, never gossip plus speak articulately and with credibility.
Learning and Development: The best are lifelong learners and are committed to the growth and development of others. They know that there can be no business growth without talent/org development.
Ambiguity and Uncertainty: They need to be able to LIVE comfortably in the world of ambiguity and uncertainty. They need to be flexible, maybe even scrappy, but steadfast and balance patience with urgency.
Courage and Change: The best Chiefs are courageous and can handle change. They have the skills and generosity to help others. They can drive change and help people have conversations that may be uncomfortable, some of which can be daunting during turbulent times.
Business Savvy and Judgement: Chiefs of staff often have the soul of an entrepreneur and tend to be well educated. They need to have strong business acumen and street smarts. Their good judgment tends to come from experience and their experience often comes from bad judgement, with great stories/learnings.
Cultural Fit: They MUST be a cultural fit to the company and have tremendous chemistry with their boss. They need to demonstrate behavioral integrity. They need to live by their promises/commitments and live by the values of the company while being excited about the vision, mission and purpose of the enterprise.