My Personal Chief of Staff Manifesto

Background and Objective

When I left my last Chief of Staff (CoS) role a year ago, I started working on a perennial "to-do" list item: writing a “personal manifesto.” It wasn't easy, but it was an opportunity to reflect on how my personal values and beliefs were manifesting day to day and whether they were aligned with how I wanted to live my life. While I wasn't completely off-track, I certainly saw room for improvement to be a better, kinder, and happier person.?

While re-examining my personal belief system, I was also trying to figure out what I wanted to do next professionally. After leaving my last corporate role, I felt uninspired, jaded, and at a bit of a loss about what I wanted to do next. I knew I wanted to take my time finding things I wanted to run to instead of from. Did I want to start something? Did I want to join something? I decided to spend the year doing three things: enriching my brain, helping others, and practicing self-care. A year in, I can say I’ve done the first two out of three well. One of the things I've spent my time on has been coaching and mentoring in the CoS space. This eventually led to me taking an Advisory Board Member position with the Chief of Staff Roundtable (CoSR) at the invitation of Philip Burns . As a result of that work, I’m often asked about my positions and beliefs about the CoS role. After repeating myself a few dozen times, I decided to apply my values, thoughts, and beliefs from my personal manifesto to the CoS role to serve as a reference for myself and others.

Preface

Before I go any further, it’s worth mentioning that the #CoS role has evolved significantly over the past few years, transitioning from its military roots into a vital position within business organizations. The necessity and value of this role are becoming increasingly apparent in the complex and dynamic landscape of modern enterprises. However, many companies and senior leaders are still unaware of its potential or are confused about how to incorporate the role into their respective organizations. My objective in writing this is to elucidate the importance of the CoS position, articulate how it adds value to business organizations, and reflect on my personal experiences, both in the military and in business, as well as the values that shape my views on this role. Additionally, I will explain my commitment to advocating for the role and supporting aspiring and junior Chiefs of Staff in their development.

The Importance of the Chief of Staff Role

The CoS position is integral to the efficient and effective functioning of an organization. A CoS serves as the principal aide to senior executives, often the CEO, ensuring that their strategic vision is translated into operational reality. This role is characterized by a unique blend of strategic oversight, operational management, and executive support. The importance of the CoS lies in its ability to bridge the gap between strategic intent and operational execution, ensuring that an organization’s initiatives are aligned with its overall goals.

In many ways, the CoS is the glue that holds an executive team together. They are responsible for managing the executive office’s day-to-day operations, facilitating communication across departments, and driving key initiatives. By doing so, the CoS allows the CEO or their principal to focus on high-level strategic decisions and external responsibilities. The role also involves a significant amount of stakeholder management, ensuring that the needs and concerns of various internal and external parties are addressed promptly and effectively.

Value Addition to Business Organizations

The CoS role adds value to business organizations in several key ways. This section delves into the various aspects through which the CoS enhances organizational performance and effectiveness.

Organizational Strategy and Alignment

The CoS plays a pivotal role in ensuring that an organization's strategic objectives are seamlessly translated into operational reality. This involves facilitating strategic planning sessions, coordinating cross-functional projects, and monitoring the progress of strategic initiatives. One effective approach is the use of structured business rhythms—regular, scheduled meetings focused on strategic alignment and operational review.

For example, conducting quarterly strategic planning sessions allows the organization to assess its internal strengths and weaknesses and align them with market opportunities. The CoS facilitates these sessions, ensuring that all relevant stakeholders are engaged and that the outcomes are actionable. By holding the pen in these discussions, the CoS wields significant influence over the strategic direction of the company, ensuring that every department is moving in the same direction and working towards common goals.

Leadership and Succession Planning

The CoS role isn't just about current organizational success. It also serves as a breeding ground for future senior leaders. When implemented correctly, this position provides a unique vantage point from which emerging leaders can develop a deep understanding of the organization's operations, culture, and strategic priorities.

The transition from senior-level individual contributor (IC) to senior leadership is one of the most challenging career shifts in the professional world. This difficulty arises primarily because the skills and mindsets that drive success as an IC are often different from those required for effective leadership. As a senior IC, one's success is typically measured by personal expertise, technical prowess, and individual achievements. However, transitioning to a leadership role demands a shift in focus from individual contributions to the success of the team and organization as a whole.?

This transition is arguably the most difficult to make because it involves a fundamental change in how one perceives and approaches work. Leaders must move from being doers to enablers, fostering an environment where others can succeed. This shift requires a new set of skills, including strategic thinking, people management, and the ability to influence and inspire others. The challenge is compounded by the fact that many senior ICs, accustomed to being top performers in their domain, find it difficult to let go of direct control and instead empower others.

In my experience, the most effective leaders are those who lead with vulnerability and transparency. Admitting areas of weakness and actively seeking to address them not only builds trust within the team but also sets a powerful example. For instance, I believe leaders should openly acknowledge where they are not strong and take proactive steps to bring in complementary skills, such as hiring an experienced CoS. This approach demonstrates a commitment to strengthening the leadership team and serving the organization better.

By empowering a CoS as their “number two in charge,” leaders can ensure that their weaknesses are addressed and that the team operates more cohesively. This dynamic is similar to the military structure, where an executive officer supports a field-grade commander. In the military, the executive officer is prepared to assume command if the commander is incapacitated, acting autonomously with "commander's intent " to ensure continuity and effectiveness. Similarly, in a business context, a CoS can autonomously execute the leader’s vision and step in when the leader is unavailable, providing stability and continuity.

However, in my experience, many senior leaders are reluctant to exhibit this level of vulnerability. They fear that admitting their weaknesses or delegating significant authority might undermine their perceived competence. Yet, I passionately believe that embracing vulnerability and transparency is a strength, not a weakness. It creates a culture of openness and continuous improvement, where team members feel valued and empowered.

Hiring an experienced CoS and empowering them to act autonomously not only enhances the effectiveness of the leadership team but also serves as a force multiplier. The CoS can handle a wide range of responsibilities, allowing the principal leader to focus on high-level strategic initiatives. Moreover, by holding the leader accountable and ensuring that the team’s efforts are aligned with the organization’s goals, the CoS plays a crucial role in driving organizational success.

Domain knowledge, while helpful, is not a necessity for an effective CoS if they possess a robust background in leadership, strategic consulting, and operational excellence. Domain knowledge can be acquired over time. For example, I had not worked in the telecommunication space before taking a CoS role at T-Mobile. However, with my technical background, my principal knew they could bring me up to speed and invested time in addressing that deficiency. Within a few months, I could speak as intelligently as those who had been at the company for years. This experience demonstrates that the foundational skills of a CoS are more critical than specific industry knowledge, which can be taught and learned on the job.

Through close collaboration with senior executives, the CoS gains invaluable insights into leadership and decision-making processes. This exposure prepares them for higher leadership roles, making the CoS role a key component of effective succession planning. Organizations that invest in their Chiefs of Staff are, in essence, cultivating their next generation of leaders, ensuring continuity and stability in leadership.

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are cornerstones of a thriving organizational culture, and the CoS is uniquely positioned to champion these values. By promoting diverse perspectives and fostering an inclusive environment, the CoS can drive innovation and enhance decision-making.

Inclusive leadership involves creating spaces where all voices are heard and valued. The CoS can implement initiatives such as diversity training programs, inclusive hiring practices, and employee resource groups. These efforts not only enhance the workplace culture but also align with the broader strategic objectives of the organization, ensuring that it remains competitive in a diverse and global market.

Operational Efficiency

Operational efficiency is a critical area where the CoS can add significant value. This makes intuitive sense because many come to the role from project or program management. By identifying and eliminating non-value-adding activities, the CoS ensures that the organization operates at peak performance. This involves conducting thorough assessments of current processes and implementing improvements that streamline operations.

As a Chief of Staff, my approach to operational efficiency is rooted in the principle of helping teams achieve more by doing less. This means embracing the power of strategic simplification—identifying and eliminating redundant processes, streamlining workflows, and focusing on high-impact activities that drive meaningful results. It’s about cutting through unnecessary complexity and creating an environment where every task has a clear purpose and contributes to our core objectives.

A key part of this strategy involves developing a robust boundary management framework. This includes establishing temporal, locational, and digital boundaries to help team members maintain work-life balance and prevent burnout. By defining clear lines between work and personal life, we ensure that our teams have the mental and physical space to recharge and maintain peak performance.

I also advocate for a culture of reflection and adjustment. Regularly assessing and fine-tuning our workflows allows us to adapt to new challenges and opportunities, ensuring that we remain agile and focused on what truly matters. Encouraging activities outside of work, or 'opposite worlds,' provides mental and emotional relief, contributing to overall productivity and well-being.

Finally, I leverage data-driven decision-making to prioritize tasks and allocate resources effectively. By focusing on evidence-based strategies, we can ensure that our efforts are always directed toward the highest value activities, helping the team achieve more by doing less.

Crisis Management and Adaptability

In today's volatile business landscape, the ability to navigate crises and adapt to change is paramount. The CoS plays a crucial role in crisis management, ensuring that the organization can respond effectively to unforeseen challenges. This involves developing contingency plans, coordinating response efforts, and maintaining clear communication with all stakeholders.

Adaptability is equally important. The CoS must be able to pivot strategies and operations in response to changing circumstances. This requires a deep understanding of the organization's capabilities and a proactive approach to identifying potential threats and opportunities. By fostering a culture of resilience and adaptability, the CoS ensures that the organization can thrive even in the face of adversity.

Personal Experiences and Values

My perspective on the CoS role is deeply shaped by my diverse background and experiences. With over 20 years of combined military and business leadership, I have developed a unique set of skills and insights that inform my approach to this role. My military background, where I served as a U.S. Army Captain, provided me with a solid foundation in leadership, strategic thinking, and operational management. These skills have been invaluable in my transition to business leadership roles, where I have focused on executive advising and interdepartmental collaboration.

One of the core values that guide my approach to the CoS role is the belief in servant leadership. A CoS must serve its principal and the organization, ensuring that its needs are met and that it has the support required to achieve its goals. This involves a high degree of empathy, listening, and a willingness to go above and beyond to ensure the success of the executive team.

Another key value is the importance of diversity and inclusion. My experiences working in diverse environments have taught me the value of different perspectives and the importance of creating an inclusive culture. As a CoS, I strive to foster an environment where all voices are heard, and everyone feels valued and included.

Advocacy and Support for Aspiring Chiefs of Staff

My commitment to the CoS role extends beyond my professional duties. I am passionate about advocating for the role and supporting aspiring and junior Chiefs of Staff. This involves providing mentorship, sharing knowledge and resources, and helping them navigate the challenges of the role.

One way I do this is through my involvement with various CoS communities and organizations. For example, my participation in the?Chief of Staff Roundtable ?allows me to connect with other professionals in the field, share insights, and contribute to the development of best practices. I believe that by working together, we can elevate the role and ensure that it continues to add value to business organizations.

Conclusion

The CoS role is a multifaceted and dynamic position that is integral to the success of modern business organizations. From driving strategic alignment and operational efficiency to fostering diversity and inclusion, the CoS adds significant value across all areas of the organization. My personal experiences and values have shaped my approach to this role, and I am committed to advocating for it and supporting the next generation of Chiefs of Staff. Through mentorship, community involvement, and a dedication to continuous improvement, I aim to contribute to the growth and development of this vital role, ensuring that it continues to drive success in organizations worldwide.