The Case for a Chief of Staff

CEOs need more support than an executive assistant can provide.

by

Dan Ciampa

by

Dan Ciampa

From the Magazine (May–June 2020) · Long read

Bianca Bagnarelli

Summary.

New CEOs are typically focused on creating and implementing a strategy, building a top team, and driving culture change. Optimizing administrative workflow may not seem to be a priority. But a former CEO who now advises boards argues that many chief executives need a chief of staff (CoS)—someone who goes beyond the executive assistant role to help the office function smoothly. According to one CoS, the role encompasses being an air traffic controller for the leader and the senior team, an integrator connecting work streams that would otherwise remain siloed, a communicator linking the leadership team and the broader organization, an honest broker when the leader needs a wide-ranging view without turf considerations, and a confidant. In this article Ciampa outlines what a CoS does, the qualities one needs to succeed, and the ways companies typically design the role (with varying levels of responsibility) to help make a CEO more focused and productive.

Idea in Brief

The Problem

CEOs face a daunting workload. To make the most of precious time, they need the right information to speed decision-making and the right follow-up on projects they delegate. A good executive assistant can help with scheduling and administration, but many CEOs need additional support.

The Solution

The chief of staff role originated in politics and the military, and now CEOs are increasingly embracing it. A top-level CoS serves as an air traffic controller, an integrator, a communicator, an honest broker and truth teller, and a confidant.

The Implementation

Which level of CoS a leader needs depends on the challenges facing the organization and the magnitude of change the CEO is trying to drive.

When new CEOs with a change mandate take over a company, they typically invest time in reshaping its strategy and determining the kind of culture needed to succeed. Those choices guide other decisions, including who their senior managers will be and how the leaders will allocate their time.

A version of this article appeared in the May–June 2020 issue of Harvard Business Review.

DC

Dan Ciampa (DC@danciampa.com) is a former CEO, an adviser to boards and chief executives, and the author of five books, including Transitions at the Top: What Organizations Must Do to Make Sure New Leaders Succeed (with David L. Dotlich, Wiley, 2015) and Right from the Start: Taking Charge in a New Leadership Role (with Michael Watkins, Harvard Business Review Press, 1999).

The Case for a Chief of Staff

Idea in Brief

The Problem

The Solution

The Implementation

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