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Over 16 years ago, Richard Gelfond<\/a>, CEO of Imax, went searching for his first chief of staff. He wanted someone to shadow him, take notes and tell him what came next in his schedule.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, as Imax expanded, nearly quadrupling in scope from 55 theaters in 2010 to nearly 2,000 today, Gelfond\u2019s requirements for a chief of staff grew too.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re really invaluable in helping me think through what I want to say and what I want to accomplish and then how to execute it and helping me execute it,\u201d Gelfond told The New York Times<\/em><\/a> in a recent interview.<\/p>\n It is becoming more common to search for a chief of staff. According to the job posting site Indeed, listings for the role are up 85% since early 2020. In contrast, companies are searching for comparably fewer executive assistants and secretaries. Chief of staff is usually a senior role, often second-in-command to the boss, while executive assistants and secretaries are comparatively more junior.<\/p>\n Clara Ma, founder and CEO of Ask a Chief of Staff<\/a>, a networking site that brings together chiefs of staff, told the Times<\/em> that an executive assistant \u201cfigures out what time something goes on the calendar, but a chief of staff figures out whether it should go on the calendar at all.\u201d<\/p>\n The difference in responsibility leads to a notable difference in pay. According to a survey Ma conducted, chief of staff roles pay $150,000 to $200,000, depending on experience. In contrast, ZipRecruiter notes that the median pay<\/a> for an executive assistant in New York City is $70,517.\u00a0<\/p>\n Catherine Berardi was formerly the chief of staff to Mellody Hobson, a co-chief executive of Ariel Investments, and now runs Prime Executive Office<\/a>, a company that matches executives with office leaders like chiefs of staff. She said in an interview with the Times<\/em> that the chief of staff can be the \u201corchestrator\u201d who coordinates events and activities for company leaders across divisions.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you think of these big issues that organizations have today \u2014 AI, cybersecurity, customer success, growth \u2014 it\u2019s hard to be like, \u2018this is just your thing,\u2019\u201d Berardi told the Times<\/em>. CEOs \u201cneed somebody to make sure that that\u2019s coordinated and successful and not a nightmare.\u201d<\/p>\n As business leaders face more complex challenges, they increasingly see a trusted adviser as indispensable, though some are hiring chiefs of staff before defining exactly what the role will do.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of people who are like Oprah \u2014 you<\/em> should get a chief of staff! You should get a chief of staff,\u201d Berardi said. \u201cThey\u2019re such a follow-the-leader when it comes to this position.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead of fearing being replaced by AI, Gelfond\u2019s current chief of staff, Natalie Mayer, who is fluent in the technology, regularly suggests ways the organization can use it.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe they\u2019ll teach me enough to replace themselves,\u201d Gelfond told the Times<\/em>. \u201cBut they haven\u2019t done that yet.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Over 16 years ago, Richard Gelfond<\/a>, CEO of Imax, went searching for his first chief of staff. He wanted someone to shadow him, take notes and tell him what came next in his schedule.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, as Imax expanded, nearly quadrupling in scope from 55 theaters in 2010 to nearly 2,000 today, Gelfond\u2019s requirements for a chief of staff grew too.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re really invaluable in helping me think through what I want to say and what I want to accomplish and then how to execute it and helping me execute it,\u201d Gelfond told The New York Times<\/em><\/a> in a recent interview.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nA chief of staff as a coordinator and gatekeeper<\/h2>\n
Some employers are hiring before defining the role<\/h2>\n
Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n
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