A chief of staff can be instrumental to a CEO's success while also advancing their own career. While the role’s variability and intensity make it challenging, they also make it exciting.

We're joined by Blair Epstein, Poppy Johnson, and Connor Rochford to discuss the eight pieces of advice they have distilled from hundreds of interviews with those who have mastered the role.

Read the McKinsey.com article, Seeing around corners: How to excel as a chief of staff, by Eleanor Bensley, Andrew Goodman, Poppy Johnson, and Connor Rochford

Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy. 

A chief of staff can be instrumental to a CEO's success while also advancing their own career. While the role’s variability and intensity make it challenging, they also make it exciting.
We're joined by <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/blair-epstein">Blair Epstein</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpoppyjohnson/">Poppy Johnson</a>, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-rochford-748a3751/?originalSubdomain=uk">Connor Rochford </a>to discuss the eight pieces of advice they have distilled from hundreds of interviews with those who have mastered the role.
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Read the McKinsey.com article, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/seeing-around-corners-how-to-excel-as-a-chief-of-staff">Seeing around corners: How to excel as a chief of staff</a>, by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-bensley-05620737/?originalSubdomain=au">Eleanor Bensley</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/andrew-goodman">Andrew Goodman</a>, Poppy Johnson, and Connor Rochford
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Join our <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&amp;-corporate-finance/?viewAsMember=true">LinkedIn community</a> of more than 90,000 members and follow us on X at <a href="https://twitter.com/McKStrategy">@McKStrategy</a>.

We talk with McKinsey partners and corporate executives on the challenges they face creating lasting strategies in a fast-changing world. We also examine the different ways these executives approach these challenges and the new and innovative ways they think of creating a vision for their enterprises.

What does it take to survive in a world of constant change? More than ever, enterprises need to create strategies that can meet current needs but also adapt to future demand. A regular series of interviews with McKinsey partners and corporate executives.

Inside the Strategy Room

We all know the world is moving faster. We also know that as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few.  But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.

In each episode of our weekly podcast, we sit down with the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allows their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them. 

We all know the world is moving faster. We also know that as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few.  But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.
In each episode of our weekly podcast, we sit down with the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allows their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them.

193. Eight keys to excelling as a chief of staff

Too often, business transformation is treated as a short-term exercise or financial goal. In this episode, three of our transformation experts share the core elements of a sustained transformation, in which mindsets shift, expectations change, and new heights are reached.

Stephan Görner is a senior partner and the global co-leader of our Transformation Practice. He was joined by senior partner Michael Bucy and associate partner Rachel McKlindon.

Related insights

Sustaining the momentum of a transformation

Why isn’t your transformation showing up in the bottom line?

What is business transformation?

Losing from day one: Why even successful transformations fall short

To deliver a transformation’s full potential, put the front line first

The powerful role financial incentives can play in a transformation

How many people are really needed in a transformation?

McKinsey Insights on Transformation

McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn 

 

 

Too often, business transformation is treated as a short-term exercise or financial goal. In this episode, three of our transformation experts share the core elements of a sustained transformation, in which mindsets shift, expectations change, and new heights are reached. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/rts/our-people" data-attrib-id="link-200dacb8-2a34-416d-9f14-b04e6e0a3bf5">Stephan G&ouml;rner</a> is a senior partner and the global co-leader of our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights">Transformation Practice</a>. He was joined by senior partner <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/michael-bucy" data-attrib-id="link-a3bcd792-e6e5-49f9-94e3-b11ddc0b3210">Michael Bucy</a> and associate partner <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-mcklindon-3b03a653/" data-attrib-id="link-08818834-1ba7-4be4-9ca0-6f03847f697c">Rachel McKlindon</a>.
<hr>
<a></a>Related insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/rts/our-insights/sustaining-the-momentum-of-a-transformation">Sustaining the momentum of a transformation</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/why-isnt-your-transformation-showing-up-in-the-bottom-line">Why isn&rsquo;t your transformation showing up in the bottom line?</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-business-transformation">What is business transformation?</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/successful-transformations">Losing from day one: Why even successful transformations fall short</a>
<a></a><a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/locations/mckinsey-client-capabilities-network/our-work/strategic-and-change-communications/the-communications-exchange/to-deliver-a-transformations-full-potential-put-the-front-line-first">To deliver a transformation&rsquo;s full potential, put the front line first</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/the-powerful-role-financial-incentives-can-play-in-a-transformation">The powerful role financial incentives can play in a transformation</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/how-many-people-are-really-needed-in-a-transformation">How many people are really needed in a transformation?</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights">McKinsey Insights on Transformation</a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-transformation/">McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

229. How to sustain transformation success

Sourcing and retaining talent is an evergreen challenge for companies, and it is even more important to realizing value creation goals in private capital backed companies. In this episode we hear from two of our experts on the subject. Marla Capozzi is a partner in our Boston office and a leader and founder of CEO Alpha, our initiative to deliver outperformance for private company CEOs and future leaders. At the time of recording, Dr. Claudy Jules was a partner in our Washington, DC, office and a leader in our private capital practice. He has since left our firm. 

Related Insights 

McKinsey insights on private capital

CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders From the Rest

Achieving hypergrowth: It’s all about the people

Chief performance officers can be a secret ingredient for private equity success. Here’s why

Five alphas: Essential capabilities to succeed in the next era of private capital

CEO alpha: A new approach to generating private equity outperformance

The CEO alpha: The advantages of exceptional leadership

Sourcing and retaining talent is an evergreen challenge for companies, and it is even more important to realizing value creation goals in private capital backed companies. In this episode we hear from two of our experts on the subject. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/marla-capozzi">Marla Capozzi</a> is a partner in our Boston office and a leader and founder of CEO Alpha, our initiative to deliver outperformance for private company CEOs and future leaders. At the time of recording, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudyjules">Dr. Claudy Jules</a> was a partner in our Washington, DC, office and a leader in our private capital practice. He has since left our firm. 
<hr>
Related Insights 
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights">McKinsey insights on private capital</a> 
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/ceo-excellence">CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders From the Rest</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/achieving-hypergrowth-its-all-about-the-people">Achieving hypergrowth: It’s all about the people</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/chief-performance-officers-can-be-a-secret-ingredient-for-private-equity-success-heres-why">Chief performance officers can be a secret ingredient for private equity success. Here’s why</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/five-alphas-essential-capabilities-to-succeed-in-the-next-era-of-private-capital">Five alphas: Essential capabilities to succeed in the next era of private capital</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/ceo-alpha-a-new-approach-to-generating-private-equity-outperformance">CEO alpha: A new approach to generating private equity outperformance</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/the-ceo-alpha-the-advantages-of-exceptional-leadership">The CEO alpha: The advantages of exceptional leadership</a>

228. How talent drives value in private capital

Organizations often struggle to adapt to change, whether technological, economic, or geopolitical. Yet change is inevitable, especially as technology evolves. This week, we are joined by retired Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan, who, from 2013 to 2017, transformed the agency’s organizational structure to better meet its full potential. John spoke with Megan McConnell, a partner based in our Washington D.C office who assists large, complex institutions in transforming how they run their organizations.



Related Insights

Insights on Transformation on www.mckinsey.com

McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn

Defining your ‘true north’: A road map to successful transformation

How to gain and sustain a competitive edge through transformation

Leading agile transformation: The new capabilities leaders need to build 21st-century organizations

Organizations often struggle to adapt to change, whether technological, economic, or geopolitical. Yet change is inevitable, especially as technology evolves. This week, we are joined by retired Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan, who, from 2013 to 2017, transformed the agency’s organizational structure to better meet its full potential. John spoke with <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/megan-mcconnell">Megan McConnell, </a>a partner based in our Washington D.C office who assists large, complex institutions in transforming how they run their organizations.
<hr>
 
Related Insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights">Insights on Transformation on www.mckinsey.com</a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-transformation/posts/?feedView=all">McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/defining-your-true-north-a-road-map-to-successful-transformation">Defining your ‘true north’: A road map to successful transformation</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/how-to-gain-and-sustain-a-competitive-edge-through-transformation">How to gain and sustain a competitive edge through transformation</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/leading-agile-transformation-the-new-capabilities-leaders-need-to-build-21st-century-organizations">Leading agile transformation: The new capabilities leaders need to build 21st-century organizations</a>

193. Eight keys to excelling as a chief of staff

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