Chief of Staff

How would you know if a chief of staff can benefit you or your organization? If you already have one, how can you thoughtfully evolve the role over time? To answer these and other questions, author and former corporate chief of staff Tyler Parris studied the role in depth and conducted scores of interviews with other chiefs of staff and with C-suite and HR executives globally and in different industries. Chief of Staff: The Strategic Partner Who Will Revolutionize Your Organization presents the results of his research in a clear and practical way. To help business leaders explore the value that a chief of staff offers as a trusted advisor and “chief get-it-done officer,” Parris presents three “pivots” to consider:

Organization dynamics
Most commonly reported benefits of the role (for leaders, chiefs of staff, and organizations)
Deliverables that chiefs of staff most commonly manage for leaders



He also explores the history and current context for the role, provides guidelines for how to find and hire the right candidate, suggests ways to make the most of the first 90–100 days, and offers advice on how to develop the role over time.

As several of the CEOs Parris interviewed point out, even if you never hire a chief of staff, the thought process that goes into considering the possibility can be a useful exercise in finding strengths and gaps in your current team or approach—and can help you lead more effectively.