Chief of Staff - The Role
Typical activities of the Chief of Staff.
Before you begin recruiting for the role of Chief of Staff it is critically important to have clarity about the role. Not just by the hiring manager, but by the key stakeholders that the Chief of Staff will be interfacing with on a day to day basis. Remember that the higher-level objective is to work in service of helping the greater organization perform better as a whole. Below is a starter list of what is involved in the role. Use to help craft your job description and get calibrated internally.
Listen, Think, Challenge: They act as a confidante and advisor to the CEO/Leader and ALL Exec’s. They are: Non-Judgmental listeners; A safe place to go for ALL; An idea testing/generation or sounding board or thought partner; and very often they are truth tellers, with kindness, diplomacy and discretion.
Problem Solve, Analyze, Plan, and Improve: They are often seen as problem solvers. They regularly head off issues early and help avoid friction. This prevents loss of face, time and money. They regularly make drop-in assessments and analysis of situations/activities. They plan and manage projects for the leader and bridge gaps across organizational silos. They influence and in some case DRIVE, improvements across the organization on behalf of the CEO or leader.
Harmonizer and Motivator: They play the dual role of harmonizer and motivator. They often mediate and negotiate across silos when breakdowns occur. They usually have a lot of influence and when coupled with hi trust they are able to coach, guide and motivate people. They spend much time communicating, informing and clarifying the messages and intent of the CEO. They work hard to make sure everyone is on the same page AND have a voice that is listened to. This ultimately helps the company to operate as one WHOLE aligned system.
Management System: He/she is often the architect and caretaker of Company Management System which enables optimal: data/info flow, communication and decision making. Ensures that there are simple but effective strategic planning processes along with performance management (OKR’s), business review and accountability processes in place.
Reps CEO (if needed): They often sit in and sometimes runs or pre-screen meetings. They represent CEO interests, views and perspectives. They help to make sure that people interpret the CEO’s intentions effectively as well as capture the input/feedback from other execs. Ultimately, they help keep things moving at pace while maintaining alignment and cohesiveness.
1st Line of Defense: They help the CEO’s efficiency and effectiveness by acting as a buffer (NOT A BLOCKER). They often work with other Execs to be better prepared that enables speed for CEO, the Exec’s and Company in general. Timing and delivery of information are often critical. They regularly help execs on how to deliver difficult messages to CEO. Everyone has hot buttons and emotions that need to be navigated. Inputs around language, timing, forum and media as well as what to say and what NOT to say can often make the difference to helping an executive have their desired outcome.
Talent, Teams and Culture: He/she closely monitors talent at the company to help ensure that the company has the reputation for attracting and retaining the type of talent necessary to win in the market. They regularly coach, mentor and develop hi potential candidates. He/she is usually a guardian of and model for the company values and the desired company culture. Pays attention to company spirit