What it means to be a Chief of Staff...

“So, what exactly is a Chief of Staff,” is a question that I’ve been asked for the past 18 months of my post MBA career. Former colleagues, classmates, and even my closest friends, are always curious about what exactly it is that I do.

The Chief of Staff (“CoS”) role is one of the most exciting roles to have. It requires technical skill tempered with enough humility to know when to call in a subject matter expert. It requires discretion that doesn’t get in the way of forming truly authentic relationships. It calls for demonstrated commitment to the mission above all else, consistently lived out in sync with corporate values.

As CoS, I work on cross-functional teams to deliver on the priorities of the CEO. And what does that mean, you might ask? It means that I take deep dives in different departments to understand how we got to where we are, what we’re doing well, and what we should focus on to get us to where we’re headed.

I started working in med tech just six months ago. I spent several months sitting in department level meetings, listening and learning. I took a bite of humble pie when I had to ask the meaning of simple industry acronyms. Those questions were a dead giveaway that I didn’t know it all. But my vulnerability when asking those questions showcased that I had very little to prove, and everything to learn.

Thankfully, I’m surrounded by a team of subject matter experts who recognize that my job as CoS is understanding strategic objectives of the company, learning how business functions operate, and identifying how teams can work together to drive results. My job is to streamline objectives across departments and to create win-win scenarios that drive results for the business. I don’t need engineering or ops expertise. But I can leverage my problem-solving skills to optimize procedures to ship our product on time to meet commercial targets.

As CoS, my objective is to fulfill the vision of the CEO, and to work together with executives as they achieve their department goals. To do this as CoS, I’m also a Chief Customer Service Officer. Early in my career, I had world-class training on asking open-ended questions, unearthing unmet needs, and putting customers first. Without that training, I wouldn’t be successful as CoS. When you’re CoS, everyone in the company is your customer. You are there to ensure that they have what they need, even if you aren’t the official person tasked with doing the job.

A successful CoS shouldn’t take on every task but should be prepared to identify who is the best person to assume the task. Often, the best use of a CoS’ time is learning what is ultimately needed by someone or a department and connecting that someone or department with who is best equipped to help. A truly noteworthy CoS is also a Chief Networking Officer. Creating the right connections that lead to results will increase the influence and brand of a CoS.

Since starting my career as CoS, I’ve learned invaluable lessons that will guide me throughout my career. Ironically, I’ve learned that not knowing it all is a sign of a very successful and effective CoS. I’ve learned that a reliable CoS always has eyes on the bigger picture, and knows when to sweat the small stuff. I’ve learned that my most fulfilling moments as a CoS are when I deliver on a project that from the outset, seemed impossible.

I recently completed the Chief of Staff Executive Academy by The McChrystal Group. It’s by far one of the best investments ever made in my professional development. I’m walking away with precious resources, lessons, and a peer coaching group that I meet with monthly. My small group facilitator Paul sent around a list of questions that he used to ask himself periodically as a former CoS. I’ve included them below, and I will ask these questions of myself periodically as well.

Paul’s Introspection and Self-Assessment Questionnaire:

1. Would my subordinates, if I have any, seek to work for me again?

2. Would my teammates ask me to join them again?

3. Would my boss hire me again?

4. Am I preserving those things that sustain me and put positive energy back in my tank? (For me it is my faith and my relationships)

So, that is what my job is as CoS. Success is measured in how often and how openly people come to me seeking my help. It’s been quite a journey to date, and one that is making me a stronger female executive than any other experience likely could. The CoS role is not for people who are afraid to fail. It’s not for people who haven’t had to start over again from the top. And it’s certainly not for people who aren’t up for one of the most challenging and rewarding professional ventures of a lifetime.

This article is the first in a series that I will publish on my role as a CoS. Please share any questions that you have about life as a CoS, and I will do my best to respond to each one.