Decoding Chief of Staff
Startups of today are nothing short of a roller coaster ride. The founders and CXOs don't follow the conventional style of business and can be found continuously switching roles; with so much going around, it is not a rarity for a founder to get overwhelmed and demotivated, especially first-time entrepreneurs!
While the frantic nature of startups cannot be taken away, founders and CXOs can greatly benefit from including a highly trusted and proficient right-hand individual - the Chief of Staff.
So let's decode the alpha and omega of the Chief of Staff ‘step by step.’
Chief of Staff: What Is It?
The Chief of Staff is a modern corporate position that is rapidly making strides in the business world. The chief of staff’s role is to be the ‘eyes and ears’ for the CXOs to streamline the business.
They keep CXOs up-to-date on the progress of various projects, lead a few critical projects and help them to stay on top of any issue that may arise within the company. Chiefs of staff frequently serve as the chief executive's confidant, counselor, and sounding board for ideas. The real responsibilities ultimately depend on the role and the persons involved.
Most importantly, though, the chief of staff works with other executives to ensure that everyone has what they need to do their job well—a task that may include ensuring that all internal resources are available to meet deadlines and deliver results.
This role becomes critical as he/she/they works as a founder’s extension.
What does a Chief of Staff do?
Chief of Staff is not a standalone position and works in conjunction with multiple teams, and their roles and responsibilities differ from each CXO. However, to generalize the duties of CoS, it often ranges from managing the CXO's priorities and supervising staff/internal operations to leading exclusive initiatives.
Few examples of what might encompass a chief’s role-
Act as a liaison between the CEO and other departments to find new ways to improve processes and streamline workflow.
Create strategies for the growth and development of a department, including strategic planning.
Create an environment where employees are motivated by their work and feel valued for their contributions.
Provide support to the CXO in difficult situations such as layoffs or budget cuts.
Act as confidante and advisor to the CXO.
Keep the CXO accessible and open to new strategies and proposals.
What are the skills required?
The role involves many responsibilities, and the person should possess multiple skills to be an effective CoS.
Leadership skills to maintain liaison between CXO and other team leaders.
Proven experience in translating plans into successful execution.
Demonstrable experience with strong project management skills.
Top-of-the-line written and verbal communication skills; a must-have!
Emotionally intelligent being with a high level of sensitivity with respect to another employee
Strategic thinker with a strong analytical prowess.
Strong decision-making power with a sense of accountability.
Loyal and trustworthy with confidential information; a personality that inspires confidence.
Where does a CoS stand in the organizational hierarchy?
The CoS is often positioned between the top-level executive management (CEOs, CFOs, COOs founders, presidents) and departmental executives on a corporate ladder (directors, managers, and department heads). Vice presidents, senior directors, and leadership deputies are other positions that could sit next to a CoS. The CoS might or might not be seated alongside the rest of the executive team in the executive office.
Different organizations may allow different scopes of authority, which can affect a CoS’s position in the organization.
Expected educational qualification.
The Chief of Staff does not specifically call for a degree or educational background but if we analyze the people who are currently in the role or aspire to become Chief of Staff, one can conclude that a bachelor’s degree is more or less a must-have. Additionally, a master’s degree in management is much appreciated by companies.
There are no prerequisites of any kind, including any kind of expertise in a specific profession or degree, though a cross-functional background is one of the greatest assets for companies, and recruiters actively look out for it because the position tends to value diversity of expertise.
Experience required for the role.
Considering the responsibilities of the role, freshers and new talents are conventionally not the priority for the role.
An experience level of 6-10 years is the industry standard for this role. However, there are no clear boundaries and cut-out job descriptions for this role.
Sometimes organizations may call for a junior-level Chief of Staff, especially in the case of newer startups where the experience range can be 3-7 years, but for the majority of large enterprises, the experience would be taken into consideration as an essential criterion.
What remuneration does the position command?
Glassdoor estimates that a CoS makes an average salary of $125,617 in the US and an average salary of ₹23,00,000 in India. Nearly 70% earn $120,000 or more per year, according to several polls, including this one from the Chief of Staff Network. The Economic Research Institute estimates that in only five years, the average pay might increase by as much as 13 percent. As per Salaryexpert, the estimated salary potential for Chief of Staff will increase 42 % over 5 years.
Why should one consider joining this role?
Well, working as the chief of staff to the CEO is one's chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run one of these businesses. It requires helping with hiring, managing staff, and making sure all systems are in place so that the CEO can focus on their vision.
One gets to experience firsthand how CEOs think about their business and how they make decisions about it—and whether or not they have any idea what they're doing. It's a great way to break into the c-level suite of start-ups and big companies!
How to get started?
To become a CoS, there is no dearth of learning courses on the internet. A few of the quality resources are mentioned below-
The chief of staff role has moved beyond politics and into corporations of all sizes. Brian Rumao has been the chief of staff to the CEO of LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner, for the last five years, and in this course, he shares his advice and experiences with you. Learn the common responsibilities and characteristics of a great chief of staff, how to get hired, and how to get off to a strong start. Discover best practices for managing operations, strategic initiatives, and leadership communications. Plus, get tips to make you more successful as you help the CEO, executive team, and company be more productive and effective. These lessons provide a launchpad for anyone who wants to become chief of staff and succeed in this fast-growing, unique, and rewarding position.
2. Seek out volunteer opportunities that involve the roles and responsibilities of the chief of staff work but on a smaller scale. Get upskilled by various courses on Coursera, Vannin, Udemy, etc.
3. Certain books by reputed authors are good resources to get insight into the role; one such book is ‘Chief Of Staff: The Strategic Partner Who Will Revolutionize Your Organization’ by Tyler Parris.
4.Upcoming Sparklehood COS cohort:
Chief of Staff Cohort highlights:
1. 1 year-long program divided into 2 phases.
2. The first 8 weeks entail interactive learning sessions led by exemplary leaders.
3. The next 10 months entail networking opportunities with a community of aspiring Chiefs of Staff & hiring pitches by companies.
4. Other perks: creme de la creme network, access to valuable resources, assistance in career growth planning, and strategy.
If you’re interested in the cohort, please fill up this short form. - https://tally.so/r/mRGky9