Startups have to see results to stay afloat. Learn how a chief of staff can drive growth much more effectively than an executive assistant.
Key takeaways:
- High-level chiefs of staff oversee key business processes, help with decision-making, and act on the behalf of executives.
- Executive assistants need consistent oversight and are in charge of daily tasks like scheduling and fielding phone calls.
- How a chief of staff gets a startup results:
- Provides the support an executive assistant doesn’t
- Improves critical workflows
- Ensures policies are implemented properly
- Fills in gaps executives may not see
- Improves productivity and profitability
Growing a startup business isn’t a simple task. Founders often have very high expectations, but the daily obstacles they face can get in the way of success. When they’re not seeing the results they want, they may not be sure how to improve their processes to gain traction.
Successful startup business planning involves putting people in the right roles and hiring help when it’s needed. If the founder is handling everything from daily tasks to high-level strategizing, none of those business functions will be getting the attention they need, and results will suffer.
A chief of staff takes on a more extensive role than an executive assistant and can help startups dramatically improve results and grow exponentially. This happens because proficient chiefs of staff create more productive work environments.
What does a high-level chief of staff do?
Some startup owners think that hiring an executive assistant will free up time to focus on growth. Executive assistants take on daily tasks like scheduling, handling typical correspondence like emailing, taking notes, and fielding phone calls. They usually don’t have much, if any, say in decision-making or strategizing, and they need consistent oversight.
A high-level chief of staff, however, is a much more advanced and nuanced role. Typically, these roles are part of the senior leadership team, They sit in on meetings and provide feedback, helping executives make key decisions. They act as liaisons between leadership and employees, giving both sides a voice and aligning them to create a stronger business. They always keep a pulse on the inner administrative workings of the startup, monitoring for hiccups and implementing improvements.
The insight and expertise that chiefs of staff bring to startups help them improve and become more efficient. They help startups see the growth results they’re looking for.
How a chief of staff can get your startup results
Startups have unique business needs to ensure products and services are successful to keep them afloat during the most challenging periods of growth. Chiefs of staff are specialists in enhancing and streamlining processes, so they’re the perfect people to hire to improve outcomes.
Here are the benefits of having a chief of staff as a startup and how they impact business results:
1. Provides support that an executive assistant doesn’t
Hiring an executive assistant may seem like the right option to grow your business. You may feel like your startup just needs someone handling the day-to-day responsibilities that you can’t take on any longer. But an executive assistant won’t bring your startup the results you want to see. A chief of staff is highly qualified to handle principal duties focused on making time, information, and decision-making processes more effective and intuitive. They can see the big picture of your business and provide guidance and opinions that assistants just can’t give you.
2. Improves critical workflows
Chiefs of staff essentially oversee how the administrative system works within a company. They know how to improve information and time management processes, and they help with decisions that make the business run more effectively. They are in charge of workflows, and they can identify where things get stuck and which team members need more resources. They take on a holistic view to uncover cleaner, more efficient ways of working.
3. Ensures policies are implemented properly
High-level chiefs of staff sit with executives, like the CEO, and help them create better policies. These policies may be related to managing and hiring employees, budgeting, compliance, company culture, nondiscrimination, communications, and more. These policies ensure the workplace is safe and comfortable so that workers stay productive and satisfied. A chief of staff is in charge of implementing these policies properly and fielding questions and concerns from employees.
4. Fills in gaps that executives may not see
Startup founders are motivated people with big ideas. Sometimes their big-picture view of their business doesn’t allow them to see hang-ups and problems in the finer process details. Chiefs of staff notice those issues and address them with actionable solutions. They stay proactive and can even identify a potential problem before it turns into one.
5. Improves productivity and profitability
All of these benefits lead to a big plus for startups: more productivity and increased revenue. Boosting productivity leads to more efficiency so the business runs better at every juncture. Teams understand their place in the greater machine and they know how to work together to get better results.
Productivity and efficiency improvements then help the business grow. When employees are more engaged and productive at work, customer service improves and processes move seamlessly. Gallup found that these factors can lead to a 23% difference in profitability.
Turn to Chiefly Consultants for chief of staff services
Your startup needs an expert to come in and drive up results. Chiefs of staff are game-changers for your business, giving you time to focus on growth and helping you implement better processes and policies.
Chiefly Consultants is here to help you get the help you need. We provide highly-skilled chiefs of staff with real-life working experience in startups on a fractional basis to give you more flexibility, which is a must. You get all the benefits of having an in-house chief of staff without a long-term commitment or full-time salary. Our chiefs of staff can help you with sales, marketing, administration, human resources, technology, and finance.
Reach out to the Chiefly Consultants team today to get started.
