Multiply your capabilities, not your costs
Our fractional Chief of Staff solution gives you the planning and advisory capacity to figure out your strategy and get on with the work you need to do to execute on great plans.
We bring a functional approach to planning that’s based on the best of chief of staff capabilities. A chief of staff is there to help you — the organization’s leader — focus on and manage the strategic priorities that are important to you here and now. At its heart, strategy is vision combined with decision: you need to be clear on what parts of the field you’re operating on are important, and what decisions you need to make to focus your efforts.
Why a fractional Chief of Staff?
What is a chief of staff anyway?
If you’re a TV fan of political drama, you might be familiar with the fictional character of Leo McGarry, played by actor John Spencer, from the West Wing. He’s one archetype of a Chief of Staff, focusing on helping his president with his leadership and influence.
In real world chief of staff life, one of the most celebrated U.S. chiefs of staff was James A. Baker III, who served under both Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr. He combined both the capabilities of execution and efficiency (an “operator”) and strategy and growth (a “strategist”). He summed up his philosophy during the turmoil of the first Trump administration with the following advice:
More commonly, the role is associated with the military and governmental organizations. The chief of staff in a military context is the commander’s right arm: keeping the mission and strategy agenda straight, making sure that others are bringing forward the information and advice needed, and supporting the commander in making timely decisions. If it’s a life and death situation, the COS is the person making sure that the tempo of decisions is keeping pace with the reality of the mission.
Sound like something you need?
Our COS model helps you drive alignment, execute on strategy, and provides you with leadership support. We’re not your EA or your chief operating officer. We’re trusted counsel in the middle of the storm, and you can turn to us for the confidential advice and perspective you need to move forward. Importantly, we don’t coach you — we help you act.
Our fractional model gives you the flexibility to expand or scale back our role as your business needs demand. We’re there to bring solutions when you face roadblocks, and we step back when the road to success is open.