Chief of staff

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The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, a government institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide-de-camp to an important individual, such as a president, or a senior military officer, or leader of a large organization. [1] [2]

Contents

In general, a chief of staff provides a buffer between a chief executive and that executive's direct-reporting team. The chief of staff generally works behind the scenes to solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before they are brought to the chief executive. [1] Often chiefs of staff act as a confidant and advisor to the chief executive, acting as a sounding board for ideas. Ultimately the actual duties depend on the position and the people involved. [1] In an organization, the chief of staff may play a role that is metaphorically akin to an “air traffic controller for the leader and the senior team; as an integrator connecting work streams that would otherwise remain siloed; as a communicator linking the leadership team and the broader organization; as an honest broker and truth teller when the leader needs a wide-ranging view without turf considerations; and as a confidant without an organizational agenda.” [3]

Civilian

Government

Australia

Brazil

Canada

Colombia

Germany

India

Nigeria

Pakistan

Philippines

South Korea

Spain

United Kingdom

Scotland

United States of America

Military

One example of an institution with chiefs of staff is the US armed forces. This organization chart shows the hierarchy of joint chiefs of staff and service-specific chiefs of staff in 2012. The Joint Staff Org Chart as of Jan 2012.jpg
One example of an institution with chiefs of staff is the US armed forces. This organization chart shows the hierarchy of joint chiefs of staff and service-specific chiefs of staff in 2012.

In general, the positions listed below are not "chiefs of staff" as defined at the top of this page; they are the heads of the various forces/commands and tend to have subordinates that fulfill the "chief of staff" roles.[ citation needed ]

In general

Azerbaijan

Canada

France

Ghana

Greece

India

Indonesia

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Pakistan

Philippines

Portugal

Spain

Sri Lanka

United Kingdom

The Sovereign is the Commander-in-Chief. The CDS heads the Chiefs of Staff Committee and is assisted by the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.

United States

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bromwich, Jonah Engel (2019-11-07). "Hail to the Chief of Staff". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  2. 1 2 Whipple, Chris (2018-03-06). The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency. Crown. ISBN   978-0-8041-3826-0.
  3. ↑ Ciampa, Dan (May 2020). "The Case for a Chief of Staff". hbr.org/. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
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