What’s a Chief of Staff?

Written By Mackenzie Lee

Chief of Staff. What does that even mean?

When we founded Cedar, we talked to 100+ CEOs, founders and Chiefs of Staff about their own definition of a Chief of Staff. We found a wide range of answers ranging from a very senior Executive Assistant to a full-on CEO proxy who is able to make crucial business decisions on behalf of the CEO.

Through our research, we learned that there isn't an industry standard definition, nor is there a one-sized-fits-all description of this role.

We decided to put a stake in the ground. At Cedar, we believe a Chief of Staff can be a:

  • Strategic Advisor

  • Trusted Confidante

  • CEO Proxy

  • Master Organizer

  • Communications Director

  • Process Guru

  • C-suite systems Administrator

  • Executive Coach

  • Change Agent

To learn more about the Chief of Staff role, download our Chief of Staff Playbook here.

Mackenzie Lee
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