NEWS
CAREER Professional development tips for executive-level PAs
THE FINAL WORD FROM A CHIEF OF STAFF
JO JONES
Chief of staff , officially
Today I write to you for the first time as chief of staff because , since my last column , I have transitioned from deputy and I want to talk about how that felt . When I think back to when I started in the role in 2020 , six weeks into lockdown , I knew my reputation [ being trustworthy , delivering ], my relationships [ gaining buy-in from stakeholders ] and my approach to my role [ being an enabler , not a roadblock ] were all key to my success . But how would I actually achieve all these things remotely ?
Getting started My organisation is relatively small but I needed to make some impact if I was going to succeed early on . In my first year I spent most of my time speaking to many colleagues . It felt as though I was on the phone constantly , getting to know them , their roles and how they fitted into the organisation . I was keen to learn quickly ( patience is not a quality I possess !) and I was hugely frustrated in not knowing , albeit I had just begun . I wanted my leadership team to know that I had arrived and I was keen to contribute to the greater good .
Kate , my boss , and chief of staff at the time , recognised what I offered and subsequently made me her deputy chief of staff . That was three-anda-half years ago and it really has been one hell of a ride for both of us . I have had the privilege of working side-by-side with Kate , shadowing her , watching her and learning from her as I transitioned from deputy into chief . I took hold of every opportunity Kate threw at me . She trusted me to make the right decisions ; she now asks for my advice and guidance , and gives me the confidence to do what is necessary .
Two years in After my second year in the role , I started to see that we could massively improve on some processes within our executive leadership team – and they would not only benefit them but the wider organisation too . So , after discussing my ideas with Kate , I put a proposal forward to the CEO who asked me to present it to the directors . As a result , we are ten months into a new way of working , pioneered by me . It allows our directors to focus on the longer-term vision , leaving the senior leaders to deal with the operational side of the business . This increased my confidence no end and I really felt I was heading into the full chief role .
Now I am over the three-year marker and being in that ‘ enabler ’ role gives me great satisfaction , knowing that the advice and guidance I give makes a difference to their day but also positively impacts the organisation .
Initially , it feels a little unnerving not having Kate ’ s [ metaphorical ] hand to hold but the desire to learn was and is stronger than the fear of getting it wrong . If I do get it wrong ? Kate ’ s advice and guidance is invaluable to me . I can see very clearly the longer-term viewpoint and I stay , always , within the bigger picture ( sometimes more than the principals themselves , which we all know is like living and breathing to us but not always recognised by those in which we dedicate our time in supporting ).
Next steps We have recently had a change of CEO so as I start my role as his chief of staff I am really excited to see what I can do to help him settle in then move the organisation forward … Watch this space ! S
Jo Jones is chief of staff at Institute and Faculty of Actuaries
66 Executive PA | Summer Issue 2024