Business Reviews Playbook

Chiefs of Staff, I have 2 words to help you succeed at your job: just dance.

Remember, the best Chiefs of Staff are expert C-suite choreographers who bring the right people to the table at the right time. How’s your two-step looking?

As the head of the Office of the CEO, you are responsible for setting up and maintaining regular business reviews. Our ask of you is this - feel the rhythm of your business so you can create your unique C-suite beat.

These high stakes meetings could include the following: financial reviews, budget planning, strategic planning and board reviews. They mostly happen in-office during regularly scheduled meetings but can occur at out-of-office C-suite executive retreats.

Typically, there is a larger more formal set of meetings and workshops once a year, while check-ins happen each quarter. The goal for any such review is tight stakeholder alignment, clear insights and actionable next steps.

Best practice is for you, the Chief of Staff, to properly define the stakeholders, agenda, decisions and outputs of such meetings. Add this to your C-suite protocol document in your Office of the CEO playbook.

And if you don’t, you’ll be wasting a ton of time and money by holding inefficient business reviews that last weeks and go nowhere. Have you ever calculated what it takes Chief of Staffs to spend just 1 hour of the CEO, COO and CFO’s time?

And so, Chiefs of Staff: after you’ve perfected your new C-suite choreography, put on your favorite song. It’s time to dance.

Ready to perfect your C-suite choreography and master business reviews? Download our Chief of Staff Playbook here to learn how to create impactful meetings and keep your executive team in perfect sync.