A Chief of Staff struggles to make three different presentations - an internal all hands update, a customer pitch, and a board meeting - feel meaningful and tailored for each audience. Emily suggests using common core info but adding exclusive details for each group, plus using questions from past meetings to anticipate concerns and adjust content. Real examples include noticing trends in employee questions about pay raises or office changes, collecting follow-up questions from strategic partners, and asking board members what matters most to them.

Links Mentioned:

• Clarity Call with Emily

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 yet 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:

01:08 Understanding Different Audiences
02:02 Leveraging Previous Questions
03:06 Identifying Patterns and Trends
04:22 Collaborating with Your Team
05:37 Handling Board Meetings
06:58 Embracing Questions as Data Points
10:31 Conclusion and Final Tips

Tracy Van Grack and Michael Patino talk about working with a Chief of Staff, sharing real stories from startup and established companies, including how early-stage teams can build a culture of communications even with limited resources. They cover the difference between hiring internal or external communications experts, using examples like tech startups handling crisis PR and the importance of authentic messaging. The episode also touches on practical steps for establishing company narratives, handling milestones like funding rounds, and common pitfalls in brand building.

Links Mentioned:

• Email Tracy Van Grack
• Connect with Tracy Van Grack on LinkedIn
• Follow Tracy Van Grack on X
• Connect with Michael Patino on LinkedIn
• Email Michael Patino

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 yet 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:

02:52 Working with a Chief of Staff
05:31 Communications Strategy for Startups
07:29 Building a Communications Culture
11:32 Internal vs. External Communications Resources
16:59 Traits of a Good Communications Officer
20:48 Onboarding Communications Resources
23:12 Crisis Communications and Lessons Learned
25:42 Challenges in Scaling Technology
27:55 Budget and Resource Allocation
30:18 Building Effective Communication Strategies
35:42 The Role of Chief Communications Officers
39:51 Brand Building and Storytelling
47:09 The Importance of Community in Brand Building

Chief of Staff can be a lonely job, even when you're surrounded by people. Emily shares real ways to handle this, like joining Chief of Staff networks, leaning on trusted coworkers or friends outside the company, and working with a coach. She also talks about knowing when to just acknowledge the loneliness and when to actively address it.

Links Mentioned:

Episodes featuring founders of the following Chief of Staff communities and networks:

• Chief of Staff Association
• Chief of Staff Network
• Chief of Staff Roundtable
• 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 yet 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:

00:56 Acknowledging the Loneliness
01:36 The Unique Role of a Chief of Staff
05:12 Leveraging Internal Colleagues
07:07 Support from Family and Friends
09:23 The Value of a Coach
11:39 Self-Acknowledgment and Reflection
12:49 Addressing Confidentiality Challenges
14:02 Conclusion: Embracing the Unique Role