The C-suite can be a lonely place. So where do
The Chief of Staff Network, founded and run by those who formerly worked in a chief of staff role, aims to help this distinct group of high-level professionals find a
The global platform offers a free set of resources tailored to business operators and those on a chief of staff career path, as well as a private membership for people already in the role. By joining, chiefs of staff have access to a "braintrust of 1,000 other people" just like them, says Rahul Desai, Chief of Staff Network's general manager.
"[The Chief of Staff Network] exists because those people don't have a home inside of their company. They need to go elsewhere to find camaraderie, to find support, to find people to talk to," Desai says. "That's really what separates us from some other learning and development or internal community providers — we're not really within the auspices of the company; we're more broad-reaching than that."
Read more:
The role of a chief of staff is broad, indeed, sometimes extending to responsibilities that touch the entire organization, and they're not alone. Some companies operate with other small headcounts in vital departments, such as technology and HR. When there's a shortage of accessible knowledge and resources within a company that enable employees to do their best, their morale and their work suffer. But when people are connected to these things, they and their employers benefit.
"There are the obvious issues of retention, onboarding — but I would say a lot of it comes down to that issue of how do you make this person not feel adrift from day one?" Desai says. "Secondarily, there is an ROI angle. You hire a [chief of staff], and they can sort out whatever they need to know. But how long is that going to take, and what detriment occurs because that person is spending a long time getting themselves up to speed? You'll save a lot of time, and therefore save a lot of money on the cost of their labor hours by helping them do higher-value things much quicker."
Read more:
The annual cost of a private membership to the Chief of Staff Network is $950, and can be covered by the member or their employer. Members have access to things like a private Slack channel for daily communication with all other members, professional development courses, monthly meetings, virtual and live events, tactical guides, current reports and data, networking events and a helpline.
"If your chief of staff saves one hour per month by being with us — [maybe] they learn how to do something just a little bit faster, or they're going out to do vendor selection and they find the right thing sooner because someone has the exact right thing they're looking for in our community — it basically pays for itself on the cost of labor," says Desai.
Along with the general communication channel for all chief of staff members, there has been an uptick on the platform of chat groups for even more specific demographics, such as chiefs of staff who are also moms, Desai says. A main point of discussion for this group has been how to better balance personal and professional responsibilities, with advice on how to maximize time coming from those who understand the particular job demands.
Read more:
The Chief of Staff Network also has city chapters, allowing members to gather in person and reach out for advice on things like trusted local vendors or a good venue for a live event. A combination of community, professional resources and learning and development opportunities are things that employees need to be at their best, Desai says, and he urges employers to make this a priority as part of their long-term success plan.
"Enabling your people to grow and be around their peers, whether in or outside of the company, is important for their continued development, sure, but it also serves the company better in the long run," he says. "Employers who are in the pursuit of next quarter's profits say, 'Let's back off on learning and development,' [but] that's quite short-sighted. When you're trying to get profits a year, two years, or five years down the road, it [becomes] tougher, because [your] people haven't gotten the investment they needed to be firing on all cylinders."
