Critical Advice for New Chiefs of Staff, from Veteran Chiefs of Staff

Starting out in your role as the new chief of staff can be daunting. How do you form the authentic relationships that will help you be effective? Here is advice from a panel of former and current chiefs of staff.

“Relationships are everything in this role. At their core, colleges are people organizations, and so, to be effective, the chief of staff must get to know the people.”

Chris Romano, Ramapo College

"Be true to yourself from the beginning. Circumstances will change. You will agree and disagree with your leader. Pressures will ebb and flow. Opportunities will come and go. Wins and losses will mount. But what must be ever-present is your integrity."

Josh Jacobs, Central Methodist University 

“I would encourage any new chief of staff to familiarize themselves with their institution’s policies. This sounds droll, but policies are often a window into an institution’s culture and values. Having a foundational knowledge of them can position you as a key resource and help you navigate decisions, unpack conflicts, and even arrive at solutions.”

Brittany Goldstein, Ramapo College

“Be prepared for crisis management. If there is potential for discontentment on campus or negative PR, I need to anticipate this by contacting those individuals or departments who could be involved, gathering as much information as I can about its impact, and being prepared to address the campus or outside constituencies with the facts.”

Nate Bryant, Salem State University 

"You will have plenty of scheduled opportunities to engage with and get to know the deans, faculty leadership, staff leadership, and VPs, but I believe you should purposefully find time to develop relationships with the administrative support staff and the mid-level directors. These individuals know the networks and the paths to get things done."

Josh Jacobs, Central Methodist University

"It goes without saying that strong relationships with your president, board chair, and senior leadership are musts, but of equal importance, in my view, is the stewardship of relationships with students, recruiters, coaches, analysts, union representatives, etc."

Brittany Goldstein, Ramapo College

“Integration into the fabric of the community through service clubs and community action groups is a great way to build trust, accountability, and influence that will transfer with you when you return to campus the next day. As people see you leading in the community, they will, in their minds, confer that same level of service and leadership to the work you do for your campus.”

 

Words of Wisdom for Experienced Chiefs of Staff

Remaining consistently successful and relevant in your role as chief of staff as the years fly by is no small feat. We have asked our panel of former and current chiefs for their best pieces of advice.

“Never underestimate the role that you play for other executive members in advancing their vision and their unit’s plans. Don't forget that the chief of staff offers institution-wide perspective. You can help by taking a step back to consider the other reasons and priorities that are competing for the President’s time and attention.”

Chris Romano, Ramapo College

“We can get so accustomed to just tackling the next problem that presents itself. Take time to evaluate your last year to see if you leveraged your time purposefully. Did you let someone else’s ‘urgent’ prevent you from making progress on the most important and critical topics for the institution? Challenge yourself to invest only where you can move the (most important) needle the farthest.”

Josh Jacobs, Central Methodist University

“Reassess your use of time. Have you been spending enough time with local community leaders, the faculty leadership, the deans, and the board members? Keep track of where you are spending your time and review that monthly. Are you shortchanging some relationships without realizing it? Schedule periodic (monthly, bimonthly, weekly) meetings, calls, or drop-ins with those you need to keep up with.”

Tom Hennessey, George Mason University

“I would advise my peers to always be growing in their role. Try to adopt a mindset that accepts new responsibilities and new challenges as opportunities for growth rather than as add-ons to your ever-expanding to-do list. I want to be clear, though—this doesn’t mean that saying yes to everything is prudent. If you are either overwhelmed or underwhelmed in your role, you are your best (and sometimes only) advocate.”

Brittany Goldstein, Ramapo College