Chief of staff

Chief of staff decision queue

A focused queue for keeping leadership decisions visible before they become stalled work.

4 min readHireExecutiveTeam editorial
Chief of staff decision queue article illustration
Table of contents
  1. Record the decision question, accountable leader, deadline, available evidence
  2. Sort the queue by business consequence and readiness
  3. Review aging items in the leadership cadence
  4. Frequently asked questions

Record the decision question, accountable leader, deadline, available evidence

Record the decision question, accountable leader, deadline, available evidence, and consequence of delay. Keep requests for information separate from choices that actually need executive judgment.

Sort the queue by business consequence and readiness

Sort the queue by business consequence and readiness. The chief of staff can prepare context and remove avoidable friction, but should not silently decide an unresolved tradeoff.

Review aging items in the leadership cadence

Review aging items in the leadership cadence. Close decisions that are complete, return under-specified items to their owners, and escalate only what needs a leader's attention.

Frequently asked questions

Should one assistant support the whole executive team?

Sometimes. It works when priorities are clear and executives share one operating rhythm.

What should happen before a consult?

List the meetings, inbox rules, recurring reports, and decisions that need support.

Ready to define the role?

Use a recent leadership week to scope the support that would make the biggest difference. The consultation is a working conversation, not a generic pitch.

Book a consultation