Alerts
-
3 minutes, 21 seconds
A chief of staff (CoS) is a staff member who helps a CEO and other executives manage priorities and coordinate projects. They also work with people in different departments to help ensure that deadlines are met. A CoS can be valuable in helping to prevent and manage crisis situations.
An effective chief of staff “understands how the CEO thinks, what they care about, how they make decisions and where they can have the greatest impact. You also have to know what their strengths are and where there may be gaps. Hopefully, you can fill the gaps. If you can’t, knowing them is critical to performing well in the chief of staff role,” Tanya Livingstone, chief of staff to the CEO and chief people officer at Kustomer, told me. It’s also important that a CoS understands how the company works, makes money and what it takes to make meaningful changes.
A CoS’s place in the organization can depend on whether they work directly for the CEO or other company officials.
There is no single path or fixed timeframe for becoming a chief of staff, but several steps can strengthen your candidacy.
A bachelor’s degree is often the standard minimum, with an MBA or another advanced degree listed as a requirement or nice-to-have, particularly for senior or specialized roles. Coursework in strategic thinking, finance, data analysis and project management builds relevant skills.
Positions often require five to eight years of experience. Relevant backgrounds include strategy and operations, business operations, product management, technical program management, finance, consulting, corporate development and engineering.
Certifications are not necessary, but relevant ones—such as in accounting—can boost your skills and credentials for finance-related CoS roles. Determine whether a program increases your value to an employer.
Develop sound judgment, influence, adaptability and strategic communication by taking on projects across multiple departments and guiding the work of others.
Most roles are filled through warm introductions, and a mentor can vouch for you in ways an application cannot. Maintain your network and consider having two mentors: an experienced chief of staff and someone who has served as a principal.
Dealing with people is central to a chief of staff’s role, which is why excellent people skills matter so much. A CoS must be able to read the room, manage professional relationships and navigate office politics. Because they act on behalf of senior executives, they also need discretion and the ability to work well under pressure.
The key skills to have as a chief of staff include:
These skills can be built through on-the-job experience, volunteering, earning degrees and certifications, reading and taking online classes. A good leader and a good CoS also know how to exercise sound judgment, influence and inspire others, adapt to rapidly changing situations, and communicate strategically, effectively and efficiently.
Successful chiefs of staff help CEOs meet their priorities, turn executive decisions into action and ensure that initiatives and projects stay on track. New chiefs of staff can help ensure their success by learning about the company and its culture, understanding how the executives they support work, asking questions and staying flexible as circumstances and priorities change.
The major mistakes to avoid by those who are new in the position include taking on more than they can handle, promising more than they can deliver and making unwarranted assumptions about their jobs and the executives they support. There is no one way or timeframe to follow to become a chief of staff. Having broad-based experience in business, a track record of exercising sound judgment, and being able to work well with others in a variety of situations can make individuals stronger candidates for the position.
8.5K articles
1.6K articles
34 articles
28 articles
Comment