Are you seeing the same? I keep running into Chiefs of Staff (CoS) and I am genuinely WOW’d.
They are secret—often hidden—but very capable yet powerful figures who know how to navigate organizations’ internal chaos expertly, align executives, and drive strategic execution.
Wait what!? Yes, read that again. That’s like a seller’s dream person to sell to!
The best of them are second in command, yet first going into the fire, solving complex issues long before they escalate.
Over the I’ve run into a few types of Chiefs of Staff:
1. The Executor: CoS who manages the CEO’s schedule, priorities, and special projects.
2. The Change Agent: CoS put in charge of strategic transformational projects.
3. The Mentor: CoS as a seasoned executive offering guidance and stability, often found alongside first-time CEOs.
4. The Sparring Partner: CoS, often found alongside a « difficult CEO, » who is capable of challenging them in a private setting.
5. The Advisor: CoS, as a strategic counsel, challenges the CEO by asking questions rather than providing answers.
6. The Future Leader: A CoS being groomed for an executive role.
7. The Fixer: Connects people across the organization, resolves conflicts, and ensures alignment toward common goals.
All of these types exhibit a few similar characteristics:
A) Incredibly High Level of Mutual Trust, based on a shared vision, and often build over years.
B) They are able to perform almost any CEO task, incl. signing contracts—however, this does require extreme clarity on what the CoS cannot do.
C) Extreme Responsiveness: Response time is measured in seconds—both ways! I say it again BOTH WAYS. They often communicate in shorthand, this allows them to manage rapidly emerging challenges and provide quick answers.
D) They have seemingly eyes and ears everywhere: Deep internal networks, often understanding organizational dynamics better than the CEO, and this extends to board members and customers.
A quick search on LI showed me over 500,000
In closing, folks, CoS are shadow warriors, unsung heroes, operating with unmistakable swagger, quietly guiding hypergrowth companies to sustainable success.
If you are a CoS at a Unicorn, get in touch, and I gladly get you a special-priced ticket to join the Impact Summit in San Francisco on May 14.
Okay — 8 more hours of flight time to go. 🙏 💙 🕊️