So, what exactly is a Chief of Staff?

The term Chief of Staff (CoS) might be new, but you will likely have already come across one... A second in charge (2IC), the right /left (😉) hand to the CEO, an Integrator, a Chief Commercial Officer, a Head of Strategy (who does a lot of implementation and cross functional work) ...the person working quietly in the background across the business, who knows where to prioritise their time, make improvements, how to get people collaborating, and gets sh*t done. 

👊Regardless of the name, the ultimate impact is the same – they are an impact player or force multiplier for your business.

A CoS will not fit squarely into a specific role as you know it, which is the beauty of a CoS. They bring a breadth of experience across multiple functions, enabling them to bring a fresh perspective - identifying patterns and opportunities right across a business, and know how to go about implementing the change needed.

How do they work with the founder/CEO/entrepreneur?

A founder/CEO/entrepreneur is often a visionary, with lots of ideas, and perhaps has excellent sales skills, a passion for their product or service and is best placed to be the driver of new ideas, culture and key relationships.... but often gets stuck in the day to day putting out fires …which they can do…but it doesn't bring them energy and joy …and can ultimately hinder business growth. 

This is where the CoS comes in!

☯️The best combination is like yin & yang - the CoS skillset complementing the CEO’s skillset rather than mirroring it.

What does a Chief of Staff actually do?

Anything that makes your business run better, faster, and more efficiently!

The CoS operates where they are needed. What exactly that need is depends entirely on your business, the skillset of the Founder/CEO and where your business needs to get to.

Prime describes the Chief of Staff as a strategic partner that helps a leader build and run a wildly successful business, enabling leaders to reclaim their A-game. Depending on your need, they might be one or all of the below:

⚙️An Operator: Adding structure and process for better communication and more efficient operations.

📈An Implementor: Driving business priorities form start to finish, executing special projects on your behalf.

🔌An Integrator: Creating cohesion among teams and departments, connecting the dots across the organisation for improved alignment and engagement.

👁️‍🗨️A proxy: Acting on your behalf for greater visibility to prevent bottle-necking and promote decision making.

🤝An Advisor: Serving as a strategic though partner, sounding board and confidante who helps inform business strategy and decision making.

⏳A goalkeeper: managing and triaging your workflow, prioritising and delegating on your behalf.

If you feel like your business needs some special sauce, reach out! Jane@perspective360.co.nz.