Are You Operating at The Right Altitude as Chief of Staff? A Chief of Staff Impact Diagnostic

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Quiz Questions

1.
How often do you focus on the few priorities where your involvement can create the most leverage?
- A.
  Rarely
- B.
  Sometimes
- C.
  Often
- D.
  Almost Always
2.
How often do you step back from work you could own because someone else should own it?
- A.
  Rarely
- B.
  Sometimes
- C.
  Often
- D.
  Almost Always
3.
How often do you challenge your leader's thinking rather than simply support or execute their decisions?
- A.
  Rarely
- B.
  Sometimes
- C.
  Often
- D.
  Almost Always
4.
How often does your leader involve you early enough to help shape thinking, rather than after the direction has already been set?
- A.
  Rarely
- B.
  Sometimes
- C.
  Often
- D.
  Almost Always
5.
How often do you surface issues, risks or organizational dynamics before they require your leader's attention?
- A.
  Rarely
- B.
  Sometimes
- C.
  Often
- D.
  Almost Always
6.
How often are you thinking ahead about what your leader, leadership team or organization will need next?
- A.
  Rarely
- B.
  Sometimes
- C.
  Often
- D.
  Almost Always
7.
How often can you move an important priority across functions without needing your leader to intervene?
- A.
  Rarely
- B.
  Sometimes
- C.
  Often
- D.
  Almost Always
8.
How often do senior leaders seek your perspective because they value your judgment, not simply your access to the leader?
- A.
  Rarely
- B.
  Sometimes
- C.
  Often
- D.
  Almost Always
9.
How often does your work create meaningful capacity for your leader to operate at a higher level?
- A.
  Rarely
- B.
  Sometimes
- C.
  Often
- D.
  Almost Always
10.
How often do you deliberately question whether something requires you, rather than automatically taking ownership of it?
- A.
  Rarely
- B.
  Sometimes
- C.
  Often
- D.
  Almost Always

Quiz Outcomes

1.
You're Operating Too Close to the Work
Your results suggest that you're contributing a great deal, but too much of your value may currently be coming from doing, coordinating, responding and carrying.That's an easy place for a capable Chief of Staff to end up.Because you can solve problems, people bring you problems. Because you can get things done, more things become yours. Over time, being helpful can quietly pull you away from the work that creates the greatest leverage.The issue isn't whether you're adding value. You almost certainly are.The question is whether you're adding value at the right altitude.Your next move:Look at everything you're currently carrying and ask:What truly requires me? What should someone else own? Where would my involvement create significantly more leverage if I had the capacity?Don't start by trying to become more productive. Start by deciding what no longer deserves your attention.A Resource For Your Next StepI wrote Hit The Ground Running to help Chiefs of Staff understand what the role requires, get up to speed quickly, and operate with greater clarity and impact.Explore Hit The Ground Running on AmazonWant to go deeper?I'm Laurie Arron, an executive coach, former Chief of Staff, and best-selling author. I spent 27+ years in leadership at AT&T and served as Chief of Staff to three senior executives. Today, I work with Chiefs of Staff navigating this exact challenge: how to create extraordinary value for the leader they support without becoming consumed by everything they could own.Wherever you landed in this diagnostic, the goal isn't simply to do more. It's to become increasingly intentional about where you create the greatest leverage.
2.
You're Moving From Operator to Strategic Partner
Your results suggest that you're beginning to operate strategically, but you're probably still moving between two versions of the Chief of Staff role.In one, you're the highly capable operator who coordinates, solves, follows through, and makes things happen.In the other, you're a strategic partner who anticipates, influences, challenges thinking, and creates leverage beyond the work you personally own.Both have value. But your next level requires spending more time in the second.The transition can be difficult because tactical contribution is visible and immediately useful. Strategic value can be quieter. It often comes from seeing something earlier, asking the question no one else is asking, connecting dots or preventing your leader from becoming involved at all.Your next move:Identify the two areas where you're still operating primarily as an executor rather than a strategic partner.What would operating one level higher look like here?A Resource For Your Next StepI wrote Hit The Ground Running to help Chiefs of Staff understand what the role requires, get up to speed quickly, and operate with greater clarity and impact.Explore Hit The Ground Running on AmazonWant to go deeper?I'm Laurie Arron, an executive coach, former Chief of Staff, and best-selling author. I spent 27+ years in leadership at AT&T and served as Chief of Staff to three senior executives. Today, much of my work is with Chiefs of Staff navigating exactly this challenge: how to create extraordinary value for the leader they support without becoming consumed by everything they could own.Wherever you landed in this diagnostic, the goal isn't simply to do more. It's to become increasingly intentional about where you create the greatest leverage.
3.
You're Operating as a Strategic Chief of Staff
You're Operating as a Strategic Chief of StaffYour results suggest that you're operating at a strong strategic level.You're likely doing more than managing priorities and solving problems. You're helping your leader think, anticipating what is coming, influencing across the organization and creating meaningful capacity around the executive you support.That's the work of a strong Chief of Staff.Your opportunity now is to become even more intentional about where your unique leverage lies.As Chiefs of Staff become more capable and trusted, an interesting risk emerges: the organization gives them more to own. More responsibility can feel like growth, but it isn't always greater impact.Your next move:Look at where your time is going and ask:Where am I uniquely valuable? Where have I become involved simply because I'm trusted and capable? What could I stop owning that would allow me to operate at an even higher level?Your next level may come from doing less, not more.A Resource For Your Next StepI wrote Hit The Ground Running to help Chiefs of Staff understand what the role requires, get up to speed quickly, and operate with greater clarity and impact.Explore Hit The Ground Running on AmazonWant to go deeper?I'm Laurie Arron, an executive coach, former Chief of Staff, and best-selling author. I spent 27+ years in leadership at AT&T and served as Chief of Staff to three senior executives. Today, much of my work is with Chiefs of Staff navigating exactly this challenge: how to create extraordinary value for the leader they support without becoming consumed by everything they could own.Wherever you landed in this diagnostic, the goal isn't simply to do more. It's to become increasingly intentional about where you create the greatest leverage.
4.
You're Operating as an Enterprise-Level Thought Partner
Your results suggest that you're operating beyond the traditional boundaries of the Chief of Staff role.You're not simply helping your leader execute. You're extending their capacity to lead.You anticipate what is coming. You understand the broader organizational landscape. You can influence senior stakeholders without relying solely on your leader's authority. You challenge thinking when necessary and exercise judgment about where your involvement creates the greatest value.Perhaps most importantly, your value isn't defined by how much you personally own.That's a significant evolution in the Chief of Staff role.The opportunity now is to keep evolving as the organization and your leader's needs change, while also considering what your own leadership trajectory looks like from here.Your next move:Ask yourself:Where can I create value now that I couldn't have created a year ago?And:What capability, experience, or exposure do I need next to continue growing beyond the role I hold today?That second question is important. For a truly exceptional CoS, the diagnostic should start opening the door to their own future, not simply tell them to become an even better support person.A Resource For Your Next StepI wrote Hit The Ground Running to help Chiefs of Staff understand what the role requires, get up to speed quickly, and operate with greater clarity and impact.Explore Hit The Ground Running on AmazonWant to go deeper?I'm Laurie Arron, an executive coach, former Chief of Staff, and best-selling author. I spent 27+ years in leadership at AT&T and served as Chief of Staff to three senior executives. Today, I work with Chiefs of Staff navigating this exact challenge: how to create extraordinary value for the leader they support without becoming consumed by everything they could own.Wherever you landed in this diagnostic, the goal isn't simply to do more. It's to become increasingly intentional about where you create the greatest leverage.