What Does a Chief of Staff Do?

Silicon Valley and the Fortune 500 alike have recently fallen in love with a new title inspired by the White House: the Chief of Staff. Once a role reserved for political figures or military generals, the corporate Chief of Staff has become one of the most critical hires for a rapidly scaling business.

Of course, they’re not consulting on foreign policy decisions, so what does a Chief of Staff actually do? Is it just a fancy name for a lead assistant, or something more? A Chief of Staff has the core competencies to manage not just life for a top executive, but also serve as a guiding light for the business itself. 

The Three Pillars of the Chief of Staff Role

While the daily tasks of a Chief of Staff can vary depending on the CEO’s needs, the role generally rests on three strategic pillars.

1. Strategic Planning & Execution

The Chief of Staff is a key manager of the company’s operations and an overseer of the operational rhythm. They help ensure that high-level goals—like OKRs and KPIs—don’t just sit in a slide deck but are actually executed. They manage the flow of information, helping to communicate the CEO’s vision and keeping each department informed and aligned. When a project is too big for an assistant but doesn’t clearly belong to one specific department (like an international expansion or a brand overhaul), the Chief of Staff often leads the charge.

2. Communication and Liaison

A CEO’s time is their most valuable asset. The Chief of Staff is something of an air traffic controller for them, filtering the noise so the executive can lock in and focus where they’re most needed. A Chief of Staff preps a CEO for board meetings, drafts internal company-wide communications, and ensures that when the CEO walks into a room, they have the context they need to make a decision in minutes rather than hours.

3. Cultural Leader and Proxy

The most unique aspect of a Chief of Staff role, and one that distinguishes it from other assistantships, is that they often act as a proxy for the CEO. A Chief of Staff may attend meetings on the CEO’s behalf, and in some cases, even has the authority to speak for them and make tactical decisions. Moreover, because they aren’t tied to a specific department, they can act as a neutral party to resolve conflicts, institute employee engagement initiatives, and help build a company culture.

Chief of Staff vs. Other Roles

To understand a Chief of Staff, it may be easier to distinguish what they’re not. They are not:

• Executive Assistant (EA): An EA manages the “how” and “when” for an executive. They’re managing calendars, travel, and expenses. A Chief of Staff handles the “what” and the “why.” If the EA gets the CEO to the meeting on time, the CoS ensures the CEO is briefed, and the meeting achieves its strategic objective.
• Chief Operating Officer (COO): A COO is the head of operations. They’re typically focused on the machinations of the company—supply chains, sales funnels, and legal departments. A Chief of Staff is focused specifically on the office of the CEO, making the individual leader more effective.

The Chief of Staff uses elements of both roles, but it is distinct from each.

Typical Responsibilities and Daily Tasks

Each Chief of Staff position will vary in responsibilities, but generally, they will be in charge of:

• Meeting management: Not just making sure that an executive gets to a meeting on time, but that they are prepared to accomplish the strategic goals of the meeting.
• Strategic research: Supporting the CEO with research into business initiatives, internal concerns, and personnel to ensure they’re on track to meet both plans and strategies.
• Inter-departmental coordination: One of an executive’s key duties is facilitating communication and collaboration across the organization. The Chief of Staff serves as an extension of this role.
• Managing operational partnerships: When a company grows, the administrative burden of HR, payroll, and benefits can swallow a CEO’s schedule. A Chief of Staff is often the one to identify that the business has outgrown its current systems. They might lead the evaluation of Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs), cloud storage, CRM software, or other necessary solutions.

Ultimately, a Chief of Staff’s role is to do what the executive needs them to do to support their role and the company’s growth.

Who Needs a Chief of Staff?

Not every small business owner needs a Chief of Staff. Really, you’ll only find them in two environments: hyper-growth startups and complex global enterprises. Startups are transitioning through phases rapidly, and leadership might need more than just an executive coach. Big companies with an enormous volume of stakeholders need a Chief of Staff to help facilitate the communication flow.

The Skills Required for Success

The best Chiefs of Staff share three specific traits:

• High EQ: They must read the room and navigate office politics without a formal line management authority over others.
• Strategic thinking: They need to connect the dots between seemingly unrelated departments.
• Low ego: Chief of Staff is a behind-the-scenes role. Success is when the CEO looks like a rockstar, even if the Chief of Staff did the heavy lifting.

It’s not a role for everyone, and it’s not always the easiest role to hire. Fortunately, a lot of things will already be going right if you’re even considering hiring one.