Leveraging Leadership

In this episode of "Leveraging Leadership," Emily tackles the all-too-common issue of the confidence gap, revealing how action breeds confidence rather than the other way around. She shares strategies and personal anecdotes to help listeners, especially chiefs of staff, overcome self-doubt and step up as more assertive leaders. 

Links Mentioned:

Book: The Confidence Gap by Russ Harris

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

WHO AM I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

Time Stamps:

00:22 Exploring the Confidence Gap

01:24 Real-Life Examples of Overcoming the Confidence Gap

03:20 Reframing Fear as a Teammate

08:38 Applying Confidence in the Chief of Staff Role

10:39 Practical Steps to Build Confidence

13:59 Building Confidence in Others

Join Katrine Haugerud as she shares practical leadership insights for translating strategy into operations. Learn about her experience with private equity-backed firms.

Her book recommendation is "Traction" by Gino Wickman (https://amzn.to/4918MnL)

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Timestamps

00:23 Katrine's Journey from Oracle to Chief of Staff

00:45 Katrine's Experience at Oracle and Transition to the U.S.

03:48 Cultural and Business Differences Between Norway and the U.S.

06:14 Katrine's Transition from Oracle to Equinix

09:17 Becoming a Chief of Staff: The Unexpected Journey

12:14 Working with a Private Equity Backed Board

20:36 The Role of a Chief of Staff in Strategic Decision Making

22:59 The Importance of Clear Communication and Prioritization in Leadership

29:07 Book Recommendation: Traction by Gino Wickman

31:55 The Role of a Chief of Staff in Translating Strategy into Operations

– – – – –

Emily Sander is a C-suite executive turned leadership coach. Her corporate career spanned Fortune 500 companies and scrappy start-ups. She is an ICF-certified leadership coach and the author of two books, An Insider’s Perspective on the Chief of Staff and Hacking Executive Leadership. Emily works with early to senior executives to step into effective leadership with one-on-one coaching. Go here to read her story from seasoned executive to knowledgeable coach.

Get your free Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist here.

Download your free Chief of Staff Toolkit here.

To learn more about Emily and Next Level Coaching, click here.

Follow Emily on LinkedIn | YouTube

In this episode of "Leveraging Leadership," Emily discusses Erin Lebacqz’s "High Value Writing Workbook" and shares valuable writing tips for business professionals. She emphasizes the importance of knowing your reader, being concise AND nice, choosing familiar words and structuring emails for clarity. Emily highlights that every written communication, whether to a CEO or a Chief of Staff, shapes workplace culture and relationships.

Links Mentioned:

• High-Value Writing Workbook

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

WHO AM I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

Time Stamps:

00:54 Two Key Goals of High Value Writing

01:45 Understanding Your Reader

05:22 Strategies for Clear and Effective Writing

06:58 Making Your Emails Stand Out

10:05 Cultural Considerations in Writing

12:10 Using Writing as a Leadership Tool

15:12 Conclusion and Recommendations

In this episode, executive Lawrence Coburn shares his experiences and advice on effectively using a Chief of Staff, emphasizing trust and strategic planning. He talks about bringing back a former intern, Matt, to fill this critical role during a period of rapid company growth. Lawrence also discusses their AI tool, Ambient, which not only takes notes but identifies owners and next steps, creating a dynamic project dashboard. Hear about their latest feature release which auto-adds forwarded project-related emails to the dashboard.

Links Mentioned:

• Connect with Lawrence Coburn on LinkedIn

• Learn more about Ambient and their AI solutions

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

WHO AM I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

Time Stamps:

00:45 Introducing Today's Guest: Lawrence Coburn

01:02 The Journey of a Founder and the Impact of a Chief of Staff

02:25 The Story of Double Dutch and the Role of a Chief of Staff

06:59 The Importance of Defining the Chief of Staff Role

12:17 Building Trust and the Evolution of the Chief of Staff Role

15:28 Special Projects and Strategic Initiatives: The Chief of Staff's Domain

17:21 The Ever-Present Challenge of Pricing

17:46 Defining Roles and Responsibilities

18:12 Communicating Roles to the Leadership Team

19:12 The Importance of Having Your Team's Back

21:36 The Unique Trust in a Chief of Staff

23:54 Introducing Ambient: AI for Chiefs of Staff

26:48 Ambient's Features and Future Directions

31:01 The Value of AI in Project Management

34:50 Closing Thoughts and How to Learn More

Chief of Staff is the consummate behind the scenes role. It’s not about you.

Sometimes you have to let others have the last word, sometimes you have not care who gets credit, and sometimes you have to apologize (even if you didn’t do anything wrong!)

Chiefs of Staff are assertive, direct, and stand their ground when needed. They also must know when to check their ego at the door for the good of the group and to move things forward.

– – – – –

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

WHO AM I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

Shantel Wilkins stops by the show and talks about overcoming challenges in her childhood, finding a basketball coach who made a huge impact on her and changed the trajectory of her life, and why and how she had to recover from the corporate world grind. She is now the Chief of Staff at Donor’s of Color Network  and working on something she is passionate about. She encourages others to find their “mission fit” and pay attention to the stories we tell ourselves and define our own narratives.

One of my favorite quotes from Shantel is: If people don’t give you a seat at the table, sometimes you have to bring a folding chair.

Shantel Wilkins on LinkedIn

– – – – –

01:21 Background and Early Life
02:36 The Power of Sport and Mentorship
05:08 Overcoming Adversity and Challenging Narratives
07:41 Transitioning to Corporate America
09:24 Finding Purpose and Passion in Work
13:51 The Role of a Chief of Staff
17:34 The Importance of Member Focus in Philanthropy
25:41 The Role of a Chief of Staff in Navigating Cultural Fit Issues
27:48 Transitioning from Corporate to Non-Profit
33:22 The Importance of Self-Care and Humanity in Leadership
36:32 Closing Thoughts 

– – – – –

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

WHO AM I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

Dive into five critical steps of strategic planning. Define your mission and vision (why does your company exist?), getting an HD panoramic view of your customer, assessing your current state, etc. Plus two bonus steps on often overlooked aspects of objectives and KPIs. 

Tune in for tips on execution and common pitfalls to avoid, chiefs of staff and leaders at any level will find actionable advice that can steer their teams towards success.

Links Mentioned:

Strategic Planning Checklist

Free Resources:

• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

WHO AM I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

Time Stamps:

00:49 Five Steps for Strategic Planning

02:15 Defining Your Customer: HD Definition

04:11 Assessing the Current State: Internal and External Analysis

07:28 Budget and Resource Allocation: The Key to Execution

10:05 Rolling Out Your Strategic Plan: Communication and Governance

16:00 Bonus: Strategic Objectives and KPIs

Dr. Gary Simonds, former neurosurgeon, is back! In episode 26 he chatted about how to recover from burnout. In this episode, we talk about how to spot it in team members and colleagues and how to have a conversation about it.

Check out Dr. Gary’s fiction book: Death’s Pale Flag.

Dr. Gary Simonds on LinkedIn

Dr. Gary Simonds is a renowned neurosurgeon and author of "Death's Pale Flag," a book examining the subtleties of professional burnout. With years of experience in the high-stress medical field, Dr. Simonds has developed a deep understanding of the balance required to prevent burnout among high achievers. His insights offer a holistic view of professional well-being, emphasizing the importance of identity beyond work. A skilled surgeon and writer, he is dedicated to educating others on maintaining passion in their careers while nurturing mental health and interpersonal relationships.

00:49 Guest Introduction: Dr. Gary Simonds
01:43 Exploring the Book 'Death's Pale Flag'
02:12 Identifying and Addressing Burnout in Others
11:51 The Role of Trust in Addressing Burnout
13:25 The Impact of Burnout on Communication
17:12 The Toll of Difficult Conversations on Doctors
26:19 The Impact of Stress on Interpersonal Interactions
33:33 Recognizing Signs of Burnout
40:22 The Gender Differential in Burnout Responses
41:21 Recap and Final Thoughts on Burnout

– – – – –

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

WHO AM I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.

Are you in a Chief of Staff role and feel stuck at a certain level - you want to break through to a “higher level version” of the role, becoming involved in more of the big picture, strategic stuff, but don’t know how?

Good news. You have a plethora of opportunities to make that change. This episode is about finding catalyst moments or events to shift your role. You can use external events

like a re-org, hiring a new executive team member, scaling a team, and strategic planning.

 – – – – –

Timestamps

00:58 Using External Catalysts to Redefine Your Role

01:50 Examples of External Catalysts

05:32 Proactive and intentional conversations with your boss are catalysts to redefine your role

05:43 Being Proactive in Role Redefinition

07:22 Conclusion

– – – – –

Emily Sander is a C-suite executive turned leadership coach. Her corporate career spanned Fortune 500 companies and scrappy start-ups. She is an ICF-certified leadership coach and the author of two books, An Insider’s Perspective on the Chief of Staff and Hacking Executive Leadership. Emily works with early to senior executives to step into effective leadership with one-on-one coaching. Go here to read her story from seasoned executive to knowledgeable coach.

Get your free Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist here.

Download your free Chief of Staff Toolkit here.

To learn more about Emily and Next Level Coaching, click here.

Follow Emily on LinkedIn | YouTube

In this episode of Leveraging Leadership, I sat down with Clara Ma, the founder of Ask a Chief of Staff. We chatted about landing that game-changing Chief of Staff role, goldmine of tips on networking, crafting a standout resume, and making a successful pitch to executives. Clara outlines the various tiers of Chief of Staff membership and what you get in each and shares the details of the upcoming Ask a Chief of Staff Summit later this year.

Links Mentioned:

Ask A Chief of Staff Website: https://askachiefofstaff.com/

Time Stamps:

00:17 Meeting Clara Ma: Former Chief of Staff to Founder
01:16 The Genesis of Ask a Chief of Staff
02:56 Building a Community for Chiefs of Staff
07:00 Navigating the Job Market as a Chief of Staff
09:57 The Role of Networking in Your Career
13:06 Leveraging the Ask a Chief of Staff Community for Job Searches
17:13 Differentiating Between Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant Roles
19:26 Unlocking the Chief of Staff Role: Insights and Resources
20:25 Workshop Webinars: Free Resources for Aspiring Chiefs of Staff
22:11 Crafting the Perfect Chief of Staff Resume
26:05 Pitching the Chief of Staff Role Internally
32:46 Announcing the first Chief of Staff Summit
36:50 The Future of Ask a Chief of Staff

Free Resources:

• Strategic Planning Checklist 
• Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist
• A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff
• Chief of Staff Toolkit

Get in touch with Emily:

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on YouTube
• Learn more about coaching 
• Sign up for the newsletter
• Clarity Call with Emily

WHO AM I?

If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.