Chief of Staff Direct Reports

The worst way to set up a Chief of Staff up for success? Give them a lot of formal direct reports. So who typically reports to the Chief of Staff? In large enterprises, Chief of Staff can have the following direct reports:

1) Executive Assistant

2) Deputy Chief of Staff

3) Director of Communications

But the most common case is that the Chief of Staff has no direct reports. They remain an Individual Contributor. This frees them up to move around the organization and remain nimble.

They don’t have to worry about managing other people. They use soft power in order to get things done. And they can easily pick up an urgent special project.

So, when you’re designing your org chart for an incoming Chief of Staff… Leave the space below them blank to let them fly free.

CEOs & Chiefs of Staff - Looking to add additional members to your Office of the CEO team? Reach out here to learn more about our Office of the CEO recruiting services and our Cedar Talent Network, which includes Executive Assistants, Chiefs of Staff, Communications Directors and other specialized CEO Office talent.