Emily answers a listener question from Tamsen in Minneapolis, who’s been asked to build a mini PMO function. She talks through concerns about returning to project management work, possible worries about people management, and how to clarify the scope with the CEO and COO. Emily suggests separating past experiences from the new opportunity and making sure the Chief of Staff role remains broad and strategic.

Links Mentioned:

• Emily Sander’s LinkedIn Profile
• 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.

Sara Lobkovich explains how to use OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) without the common pitfalls, like having too many goals or confusing milestones with actual key results. She gives practical examples, such as how "launch Project X by end of Q2" is a milestone, not a key result, and pushes for OKRs to focus on measurable outcomes that often feel out of your control. The conversation includes tips for Chiefs of Staff on implementing OKRs successfully, handling change management, and using retrospectives to learn from what worked—and what didn’t.

Links Mentioned:

• Sara Lobkovich’s Website
• Sara’s Book and 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 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:

00:13 Understanding OKRs: Objectives and Key Results
01:47 Common Challenges in Implementing OKRs
04:35 Defining Key Results and Milestones
08:09 The Importance of Clear Definitions and Terms
18:47 Implementing OKRs Successfully
22:24 Quantitative Assessment and OKR Creation
24:32 Timeframes and Cadence for OKRs
25:53 Levels of OKR Localization
28:58 Change Management and OKR Adjustments
32:41 Retrospectives and Continuous Learning
34:54 Cross-Functionality and OKRs
38:33 Addressing Resistance to OKRs
40:41 Sarah's Work and Expertise
42:54 Sarah's Book and Resources
43:15 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

A listener asks how to handle a CEO who overpromises big ideas in public, causing staff to lose trust when they don’t happen. Emily suggests privately discussing the real impact with the CEO, sharing clear examples like lost productivity after public announcements, and separating brainstorming from commitments. She also recommends giving the CEO practical talk tracks and focusing on themes like follow-through to help restore trust.

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:

00:58 Understanding the CEO's Awareness
02:07 Communicating the Impact
05:02 Creating a Safe Space for Ideas
05:39 Distinguishing Conversations
06:54 Equipping with Talk Tracks
07:46 Frameworks for Discussion
10:48 Encouraging Follow Through