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c-level executive support

Support Staff Team

Support Staff that CEOs Need to Succeed

By LeadershipNo Comments

Hiring support staff is a critical investment that new CEOs can and must make quickly at the corporate helm in their first few weeks. Anyone taking the reins of a billion-dollar company recognizes that they cannot do everything or be everywhere themselves. Instead, they must have a support staff that is strategic, tactical, and can influence others.

Many first-time CEOs focus on implementing new initiatives that will meet the goals set by the board. Corporate leaders want to hit the ground running, likely deferring the hiring of their staff until much later.

They continue to work with the staffing system already in place. Maybe the current organizational system is working. More than likely, however, it can’t adapt to and keep up with the changes the new CEO wants to make.

Therefore, the CEO must hire support staff to succeed.

The Right Support Staff for Every CEO

CEO support falls into three strategic areas: communication, information control, and traffic flow. Patrick Aylward (Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey identifies the roles and duties this way:

  • Air traffic controller – Handlings systems and logistics for the senior leadership team and the CEO.
  • Integrator – Coordinating systems and information between departments and divisions so that no one works in isolation.
  • Communicator – Managing public, media relations, and corporate philosophy between company leaders and other employees.
  • Honest broker and truth-teller – Identifying challenges and opportunities without bias
  • Confidant – Listening without advocating for a personal or political agenda.

Hiring multiple team members devoted to these five areas enhances the CEO’s ability to make rapid changes. In many cases, that’s what CEOs establish. They hire a Chief of Staff and several Executive Assistants. 

Support Staff Characteristics

The difference between good support staff and great support staff lies in their skills and their attitudes about the role they play.

The most outstanding support staff:

  • Understands the corporate culture
  • Wants to see the company succeed
  • Collaborates with stakeholders at all levels
  • Demonstrates exceptional executive functioning skills
  • Initiates tasks independently
  • Works with little supervision
  • Communicates well verbally and in writing
  • Uses software management products with proficiency
  • Maintains high levels of confidentiality

It seems like the CEO’s support staff must have the strategic acumen of Sun Tzu, the confidence of Joan of Arc, the wisdom of King David, and the compassion of Mary Poppins.

In reality, however, finding the right CEO support staff is a task made simple. It merely takes working with recruiters who know what successful corporate leaders need and where to find the talent to support them.

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December 22, 2021
Chief of Staff

Why You Need a Chief of Staff

By LeadershipNo Comments

Corporate and non-profit CEOs share one common element: they need a Chief of Staff. The chief of staff in any organization is the CEO’s right hand, managing a plethora of activities, information, and staff.

The chief of staff, often along with multiple Executive Assistants, creates the synergy necessary for the organization to operate effectively. No other person can communicate across various levels and throughout various departments as effectively as the chief of staff.

The person holding this position promotes the corporate culture, shares the company philosophy, and manages executive functions.

The Chief of Staff Coordinates C-Suite Functions 

While your chief of staff will work directly with you, they also have other responsibilities since this role is responsible for seamless c-suite workflow.

Your chief of staff will:

  • Prep materials for meetings and schedule their date, time and location.
  • Develop and distribute internal and external communication, including emails, newsletters, presentations, speeches, reports, white papers, and more.
  • Organize special corporate events
  • Take on project management responsibilities for annual strategic planning
  • Monitor and update KPIs
  • Supervise the work of those who support the CEO and c-suite management

When you’re not available, your chief of staff will be. That can keep your leadership team functioning all the time, not just when you’re in the office.

Scale-up your Business Wisely

Sometimes businesses decide that scaling up means adding more. That means more initiatives, bigger goals, and an expanded staff of C-Suite leaders, like a COO.

That kind of thinking can jeopardize your corporate success and damage your career. Hiring a leader like a COO is a costly strategy that your company might not yet be ready for, especially in the early stages of corporate growth.

How do CEOs scale when adding expensive positions isn’t an option?

Savvy CEOs hire a chief of staff, and here’s why:

  • Time is everything, but there’s not enough of it in the day. The chief of staff does the things you don’t have time for
  • No one knows your business better. This person serves in the role of confidant, allowing you to pitch an idea or muse about possibilities effectively.
  • Streamlined services save money. No one recognizes cost-saving initiatives like your chief of staff, who will likely have sound recommendations for implementing ways to save money.
  • You gain another channel for communication. Keeping teams informed and up to date can be difficult. A competent chief of staff and a team of executive assistants can get the word out so you can get on with business.

Corporate and non-profit CEOs can’t afford to lose out on the one staffing position most likely to help them succeed and advance the company goals.

The time is now. We can help you find the chief of staff best suited for your needs.

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December 15, 2021
CEO

What Sets the Best CEOs Apart from Others

By LeadershipNo Comments

As the leader in any organization, the Chief Executive Officer holds an exceptionally visible position of power and influence.

The CEO’s job includes setting the mission, visions, and goals, motivating the executive team, collaborating with stakeholders, representing the company and its values, and developing a solid work-life balance.

How does a board find someone who can execute these tasks flawlessly?

As it turns out, the board can’t because perfection doesn’t exist. It isn’t even preferable. Instead, hiring boards should consider these five characteristics.

  1. Education and Experience

Many boards tend to seek out leaders with degrees from prestigious universities. There is little correlation between the stamp on a sheepskin and the recipient’s ability to lead an organization.

What does matter, however, is the CEO’s willingness to learn and apply their knowledge and previous skills to help to make decisions.

  1. Personal Characteristics

Many people identify extroverts as the best CEOs because they are charismatic leaders. In reality, introverts perform better in this role, quickly meeting or exceeding their goals.

While confidence may land a candidate a CEO position, it does not affect job performance.

CEOs are willing to confront others when necessary. They don’t hide from challenges; they meet them head-on. Those who excel in their roles focus on meeting their goals – and winning.

  1. Best CEO Decision-Making Habits

CEOs who can strategize and make decisions quickly excel over those who do not. 

The reason is simple: executive-level leadership requires decisiveness. CEOs must make decisions confidently, even when there’s little time to respond to developing situations. Making a mistake is preferable to making no decision at all.

Those surrounding the CEO prefer consistent and immediate decision-making to uncertain delays.

  1. Getting Buy-In from Others

Those in the top position in a company seek feedback and gather diverse viewpoints. These viewpoints may shape the CEO’s decision, but the decision is based on facts rather than popular opinion.

Top CEOs prefer to hire people with the skills they may be lacking; these employees often become trusted advisors.

  1. Strategy-Building Skills

Not everyone can see the big picture, but that’s what the CEO does. This role requires eagle-eye acuity for envisioning how all the parts work together. Those who work with CEOs often describe them as:

  • proactive proponents of change for the right reasons
  • committed to thinking long-term
  • trustworthy individuals who follow-through
  • positive and predictable
  • makers of bold moves

Not everyone has the skills and mindset to be a CEO. To be the best at the top position in any company requires a unique set of characteristics. As it turns out, no one thing defines a successful CEO. The most successful, and ultimately the best CEOs, are a combination of everything.

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November 24, 2021
Woman CEO

More Women Running Fortune 500 Companies Now Than Ever

By LeadershipNo Comments

The climate change happening in the business world, albeit a slow progression, sees steady growth in acceptance of women running Fortune 500 companies. The companies that have taken the step to hire women CEOs have made interesting discoveries. Some women carry specific traits that help them not only land these top positions but thrive in them.

According to Fortune, women running Fortune 500 businesses in 2021 hit an all-time record high of 41, two of which are black women – another first.

Given women’s history in business, these records are worth celebrating, and Korn Ferry states that the celebration will continue with foundations like The Rockefeller Foundation starting initiatives like the “100×25” initiative. An initiative to hire 100 Fortune 500 women CEOs by 2025.

So what is it that helps women stand out as leaders that can profoundly change organizations for the better?

3 Traits Women Running Fortune 500 Companies All Possess

According to Forbes, McKinsey published research titled “Women Matter,” with proof of how differently women CEOs run things. The main finding suggests that women leaders implement at least five of the nine most important leadership behaviors to improve organizational performance, whereas men tend to lack in this area.

The five behaviors most commonly referred to by women include:

  • People Development: Teaching, mentoring, and listening to individual needs as a top priority.
  • Expectations and Rewards: Clearly defining expectations and rewarding when targets are met.
  • Role Model: Focusing on building respect and being a role model for the company.
  • Inspiration: Presenting a compelling vision of the future that inspires workers to implement the changes necessary to get there.
  • Participative Decision-Making: A team atmosphere where everyone is encouraged to participate in decision-making.

Aside from these behaviors, there are 3 personality traits that women CEOs possess as well:

  1. They are driven and committed to the success

It takes women an average of four more years than men to make it into leadership positions. During this time, women spend their careers in a number of different roles, companies, and industries. By the time they make it to the CEO, they are ready to commit to the company and apply their wealth of experience.

  1. They are devoted to positive workplace culture

In Korn Ferry’s study, 25% of women were proud of the positive culture they created in their companies. Women understand that for the company to succeed, it starts with the workers, and workplace culture is one of the main things that can make or break a company.

  1. Most have STEM or substantial financial backgrounds

Nearly 60% of all women in business have a definable background in STEM, business, finance, or economics, as posted by Korn Ferry. This type of knowledge serves as a catalyst for success, whether male or female.

Still, women know they have to work harder and prove themselves more than men do. This is a tide that is beginning to shift but still exists, nonetheless.

Women make it abundantly clear how beneficial it is to start from the bottom and climb your way to the top. Most women are forced to start in lower positions than men, but it only proves to help them succeed later on when finally promoted to CEO. Women continue to prove how resilient, courageous, and agile they are in business. They have the ability to revolutionize the modern-day workforce.

Every company that hires a woman CEO brings that reality into fruition.

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November 10, 2021
C-Suite Skills

Necessary C-Suite Skills

By LeadershipNo Comments

Each position in a business organization requires some skills and technical expertise. The skills and knowledge you have determine how you can optimize the company’s resources to produce desired results.

When you work together with your business team, your skills determine how you complete the task assigned to you.

However, the most crucial role in any company, which requires maximum skills and a high standard of professionalism, is the C-suite position. As a unique position in any company, it requires having extraordinary skills to be successful in this role.

What are the skills you need to have as a C-suite official?

Good Leadership Skills

The over-arching set of skills necessary for a C-suite official is leadership skills. Some employees leave companies because of the poor leadership skills of their managers. Through strong leadership, you can manage and control your team to reach the company’s target.

As a C-suite official, your leadership traits open your eyes to how you can lead your team and motivate them to work towards the company goals and objectives.

Taking Responsibility 

As the higher executive official in a company, your leadership role comes with numerous responsibilities. Your position is one of the major forces that drive the company to success. Your responsibilities include setting reasonable standards for a company, making decisions, enforcing discipline, and ensuring that your team members work towards the company’s goals.

As a C-suite official and leader, you must be ready to fulfill these responsibilities and others assigned to you for your company’s success.

Delegation

A large organization with a C-suite executive is not a one-way business. You can’t be a master of all trades because of the demanding responsibilities of your position. Hence, learn the art of delegation.

When you delegate tasks, ensure that those given the job work with the schedules and oversee their work to know if they implement your instructions or policies.

Instructions must be well communicated when you are delegating tasks. Besides education, give deadlines so that they can learn how to be time conscious.

Above all, delegation does not mean you should offload all tasks on your employees. The benefit of commission is for efficiency and not offloading tasks.

Decision Making

As the top official, you need to know how to make good decisions. The decisions you make determine the level of success of your team.

Being the leader in an organization, you need to know how you can make quick decisions as a problem-solving strategy in protecting the image of the company or from running into a loss.

Communication Skills

Another C-suite skill is good communication skills because you are working with a team. As a leader, it’s part of your responsibilities to communicate the company goals and policies to the employees. Your communication skills should also include various measures of persuasion and motivation.

The C-suite position is an influential and challenging position in any company. If you imbibe the leadership skills and other essential skills in this article, you will be equipped with the abilities needed to succeed in the top C-level in your company.

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October 27, 2021
C-LEVEL SUPPORT

Tips for Onboarding Top C-Level Support

By Corporate CultureNo Comments

The fall in the rate of US unemployment tends to give employers headaches regarding recruiting hardworking and talented employees for their business. This is not because of the rigorous exercise of recruiting the best candidate for the job, but the low rate of unemployment which gives job applicants numerous options.

And since workers now have more options in the workforce, it is evident that an effective onboarding process is an essential factor in the recruitment process. Onboarding a Top C level support may look demanding, particularly with the status quo of the workforce.

But an effective onboarding process will help the employers hire a candidate that can uphold the organization’s values and promote the company’s brand. Effective onboarding will also guide employers to hire a high-functioning Top C level to accelerate the business team’s goals and objectives. Overall, we have simplified the tips that can help you onboard Top C level for your company.

Be Clear about the Responsibilities of the Role within Onboarding

Communication and information are two vital tools when onboarding an employee for a role in an organization.

The first duty of an employer is to state clearly the responsibilities or tasks of the job applicant. This will allow them to have better insight into what to expect when they accept your offer.

A company should also be apparent to the candidates about the company’s norms and policies. This is because some employees leave their new jobs after a few months when they find the working conditions of their new jobs unattractive.

Arrange a Meeting with Employees

Aside from discussing the roles and expectations of job candidates, facilitating an interactive session with the employees within the onboard process is also an essential factor. During the meet-and-greet session, the employers and the employees get to know each other.

The meeting also creates an avenue for employers to ask the employees some questions. This is an inquiry method that employers use to know some details about the personality traits of the job candidates. The inquiry also helps you evaluate the employees’ reputation to know if such workers will be committed to your organizational goals. This interactive session marks the beginning of the business partnership between the employees and the company.

Train Employees on How to Administer and Use the Organization’s Tools Responsibly

An effective onboarding process includes training the new team members to use the organization’s tools and resources to facilitate productivity, and how well team members can handle a company’s tools determines their job performance.

Thus, it should be a matter of utmost priority for employers to train their new team members to achieve their objectives. By training the employees how to use the tools and resources, you are helping them be productive and become influential members of the organization.

Assign the Employees a Mentor

The new team member must be assigned a training guide or mentor to navigate them through the complexities of their new job. This method creates an internal networking team between the new team member and the supervisor and helps the new employee have a professional relationship with the mentor.

As an employer, you have a lot of work to do in onboarding top C-level support employees. When you take the right step and make the proper preparation, you will get the best result possible for all parties involved.

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September 22, 2021
Woman CEO

Traits of Transformational CEOs

By Corporate Culture, LeadershipNo Comments

In the search for a new CEO or another C-suite executive, many companies want to find a transformational leader. There are certain characteristics of a CEO that help the company move through a transformational process or major change.

Transformational leadership involves the leader working with teams outside of their immediate self-interests. This allows the leader to identify necessary changes and create a vision to guide the transformation with their influence and inspiration. Transformational CEOs will execute this change together with committed members of a group.

Even if your company doesn’t currently have any major changes planned, hiring a transformational CEO allows you to prepare for unexpected changes. It also allows for continuity of leadership. The following are traits of transformational CEOs to look for during the recruiting process.

Honesty

Transformational CEOs should be honest and have integrity. These traits allow them to get others to trust them immediately, encouraging others to follow their lead. This, in turn, means that team members naturally want to follow the CEO’s guidance during the change.

Innovation

Innovation is an essential part of any major change in a company, making this another essential trait for transformational CEOs. These executives also push their team to be innovative. Specifically, they push for smart innovations that focus on offering solutions to customers’ problems.

Curiosity

The innovation that drives transformational CEOs does not have to come purely from their intelligence. It is more important that they are curious than being the smartest person in the room. This curiosity allows them to inspire the greatest minds in the company.

Ability to View Complex Problems at Multiple Levels

Transformational CEOs work to guide the entire company through changes, which require them to view problems at every level. They need to have the ability to view complex problems from various perspectives. For example, they will evaluate an issue from their perspective as well as those of the competition, current and future employees, customers, and the board.

Modesty

The ability to have multiple perspectives is not just in the case of issues. Transformational CEOs can do this regularly. They can listen to customers and gain insights into their needs. This ability gives the company marketing advantages.

Being Go-to Sources

Because of their ability to gather multiple perspectives, transformational CEOs become go-to sources for anyone looking for insights. These include peers, competitors, customers, and even the media.

Having a Model for Success

Transformational CEOs have an established model for success. They have used this model in the past and can explain it in a way that makes it seem simple, even to those who are unfamiliar with it.

Spotting Great Talent

Transformational CEOs also have the ability to spot great talent. They can recognize the passion, talent, and skills in people they come across and know how to put that to use for the company. This reduces the number of new talent companies has to recruit during a transformational period

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September 8, 2021
Hiring

Improve Profitability by Hiring the Best

By Corporate Culture, Hiring Strategies, InterviewsNo Comments

Recruiting the top talent is an excellent method of increasing profitability. This is particularly true when hiring C-suite executives who can significantly affect company operations. Explore some of the ways that investing in top talent will likely increase your profit margins.

Top Performers Improve Vision and Clarity

With the top talent in your C-suite, you improve their ability to see various details and keep track of the overarching vision while doing so. This allows them to optimize projects better and accurately determine which tasks you should delegate.

Hiring the best support team for the C-suite, from executive assistants to chiefs of staff to other employees, further enhances this. It helps leadership delegate tasks with confidence, allowing them to focus on responsibilities that only they can handle.

Improve Your Brand As an Employer

When you hire a C-level executive who is the top in their field, this reflects well on your company overall and as an employer. It should attract top talent for other roles, whether entry-level, C-level, or somewhere in between. Talent will apply for your other positions because they will see that you prioritize hiring the best and cultivating opportunities. This makes working for you a great career choice, especially if they can expect to receive mentorship from talent in higher positions.

Decrease Your Hiring Time

Improving your brand as an employer not only helps you attract the top talent for other roles, but also reduces your hiring time. That happens for several reasons, including that top talent will apply to your company even when there is no opening. This means that you will have a list of potential recruits that you can contact as soon as there is a vacancy.

More Promotions from the Inside

When a company takes the perspective of hiring the best talent, it becomes easier to support internal promotions and advancements. New talent will feel supported, increasing their confidence and promoting their leadership skills.

Combining this with hiring the top talent for the C-suite takes it a step further. The executives will encourage that talent and potentially groom them as a replacement when they retire or move on.

You can leverage this support for internal advancement to help you recruit top talent in other roles as well. After all, most employees would prefer to work with a company that offers opportunities for advancement. This is just another way that hiring the top C-suite talent makes filling other roles in your company easier.

 

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September 1, 2021
Woman CEO

Essential Questions to Ask During a C-Level interview

By Career Guidance, Corporate Culture, Hiring Strategies, Interviews, LeadershipNo Comments

A structured approach that focuses on research, networking, reference development, and rehearsal is the key to more successful C-level interviews. There are some differences in preparing for a C-level interview versus an entry-level one. In addition to showing your knowledge, skills, and experience, communicate your leadership style. Asking intelligent questions can also make you stand out. Executive recruiters recommend these, along with a few other tips.

  • What trends are you following that could influence this organization’s goals and priorities?
  • If I am hired as your executive assistant, what do you see as the most significant challenges in working to fulfill the goals of this organization?
  • What are some significant milestones that will be used to evaluate my performance?
  • Can you describe the work culture and environment here?
  • What are some of this company’s most significant achievements recently?
  • What leadership style wouldn’t be conducive to this company?
  • What would the typical workday be like for an executive assistant here?
  • What communication tools, professional development, etc., are available to employees?

Although this certainly isn’t a comprehensive list, it does represent some thoughtful questions that will help gain helpful insight regarding the expectations of these high-level positions. It’s a red flag when candidates don’t have any questions during an interview.

Research Industry Trends

Another effective way to connect with an interviewer and show that you are prepared to meet their organizational needs is by researching emerging trends from around the industry. Candidates are always encouraged to review annual reports, news articles, and videos when meeting with a hiring manager. Knowing about trends can also help you answer probing questions like why you want to work in this industry.

Reference Development

C-suite candidates have to be very selective when providing suitable references. Although any former colleague might work for an entry-level job, considerations need to be respected and relevant for executive-level managers. Only use people who can constructively describe your work ethic, leadership characteristics, strengths, and ability to work under pressure.

Although it’s still important to highlight your skills and experience, asking essential questions during a C-level interview is the best way to learn if it’s the right fit for you. Researching industry trends can help you create solid queries and respond to them intelligibly. Finally, focus on providing only trusted references you know could handle open-ended questions about your leadership qualifications.

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August 25, 2021
Executive Retirement

Adapting to Executives Facing Upcoming Retirement

By Career Guidance, Corporate Culture, LeadershipNo Comments

Retirement is something that impacts small, mid-size, and big businesses alike. It can be difficult for some leaders to give up control over something they’ve worked so hard to build. Approximately 12 million Baby Boomers also happen to be executives and business owners, and most of them will be eligible for retirement in the foreseeable future. Yet, close to half of CEOs still don’t have transition plans for when they leave. Below are some potential exit strategies that can help businesses maintain value and adapt to executives facing retirement.

Develop a Plan

Perhaps this is the best advice that executive recruiters can offer to owners and leaders considering retirement. Rather than continue working in the business, start working on it by focusing on other responsibilities that can help grow it, like marketing. The decision to either sell the business or transfer ownership to current employees gets more accessible when the right employees are hired and appropriately trained. Then, organizations should model a plan similar to this for managing the wave of retiring workers.

  1. Decide organizational goals. Surveys and focus groups are effective ways to discover what the needs of employees and the company are.
  2. Determine what you want from employees. Do you want to promote internally for C-suite positions or recruit external candidates? Even though external candidates tend to have more experience, employment data suggests that they are more likely to be fired than those hired from within.
  3. Aggressively promote the succession plan. Ensure that employees understand eligibility by holding educational meetings.

 Recruit Successors Earlier

It’s easier for organizations to prepare for retirements than other forms of turnover because they can usually predict the who and when. Multilevel succession plans can help small businesses develop talent to hedge against executives retiring. Alternatively, companies can partner with C-level recruiters to hire a successor as soon as possible to shadow the outgoing executive and gain knowledge transfer.

To Retire or Not to Retire

For those executives unsure if now is the right time to exit the workforce, some red flags can help. For instance, retirement might be the best option if you’re not passionate about what you’re doing or don’t feel challenged anymore. Other people opt for retirement for personal reasons such as health, family obligations, etc. Some industries are evolving so rapidly that businesses could benefit from fresh leadership.

A strong succession plan is the best way for businesses to overcome the wave of retiring executives. It should combine transparent retirement policies and internal successor development programs. Otherwise, recruiters are yet another valuable resource that can help you adapt.

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August 18, 2021
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