Raines International

Talent Is Everything

strategy & business development

When It’s Time to Hire a Chief of Staff

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As a company grows, so too do the demands on the CEO and her time. Opportunities for growth can emerge at a moment’s notice and the need to scale often arrives at a blistering pace. Competing demands such as managing employees, attending meetings, communicating with customers, partners, and investors, and various other duties consume many hours each day — hours that the CEO needs to spend concentrating on driving the company’s strategic vision forward and capitalizing on potential growth.

The CEO adds senior employees to manage specific functional areas of the business, yet the disparate forces pulling on her time don’t diminish. Meetings get pushed back and become ineffective. Deadlines get missed. Department heads request approval for projects, but proposals lay untouched in unread emails. Despite the additional talent in the company, the CEO still can’t manage to address her top priorities with the time and undivided focus they deserve, nor can she give her employees the responsiveness they need to succeed in running their own departments. She starts to joke about finding ways to clone herself.

This story is not a unique one, as many Silicon Valley CEOs and Chief Executives at businesses of different sizes face this struggle. But, adding another department head isn’t the answer, nor is hiring an executive assistant.

Enter, Chief of Staff.

What a Chief of Staff does

The Chief of Staff (CoS) role varies to a great degree depending on where you look. At companies large and small, the CoS is often brought on to facilitate the CEO’s vision by acting on her behalf when she isn’t present, supporting her and her senior executives, and serving as the go-to person who helps ensure critical objectives across the company get accomplished. The job description tends to be rather open and ambiguous, but that freedom is intended to allow the CoS to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the growing company.

Implementing the vision of the CEO can range from weekly tasks to special projects, to representing her and her point of view in meetings. Individual responsibilities of a CoS can include creating decks for investors, planning and running leadership meetings, presenting to internal teams, conducting data analytics and reporting, and managing key recruiting priorities.

Ongoing responsibilities include making sure the CEO spends her time on high-priority items, keeping her accountable for commitments (while keeping her direct reports accountable for delivering results), and keeping her open to new ideas and proposals. The CoS must ensure the CEO and her executive team are always able to stay ahead of the curve.

The CoS acts as the CEO’s right hand. While one component of the CoS role is to manage the CEO’s priorities, plug any dangerous holes that appear, and act as the “oil for the machine,” the other side of the CoS’s job is to serve as a member of the executive team. The CoS is there to act as an objective sounding board for ideas from the leadership team, as well as to help develop and refine the overall strategy for the business.

Raines International spoke with a Chief of Staff at a private equity-owned company who said that her responsibilities run the gamut from leading strategic projects, to conducting reporting and analytics for her company’s investors, to serving as a strategic advisor to senior leadership.

“If we are pursuing an acquisition, for example,” the Chief of Staff explains, “I’ll help with the evaluation of how we would integrate that company and identify synergies. Then, I’ll lead the post-acquisition integration efforts acting as the program manager, driving initiatives and ensuring all the different pieces get done.” In addition to her focus on high-level strategy and decision-making, she also works in the trenches, executing projects and making sure even the smallest tasks get completed. “I’m working on the ground, too. From strategizing in the boardroom to conducting analysis on Excel, I drive projects to completion every step of the way.”

Benefits of having a Chief of Staff

Beyond providing another pair of eyes and ears on the ground and in the C-suite, the CoS often addresses issues that have a direct impact on the business but fall outside of the job descriptions of the rest of the team. For example, as a company scales and gaps between different areas of the business appear, it is typically up to the CoS to ensure they are quickly covered and that nothing falls through the cracks.

Additionally, the CoS can help the CEO determine what ideas will be feasible to implement given the current personnel, the workload, and company resources. This approach promotes practical decision-making and bolsters operational efficiency. The additional structure and accountability within the leadership team brought by the CoS is usually seen as a welcome addition, even in entrepreneurial circles. “It’s like an internal consulting role at times,” explains the Chief of Staff who spoke with Raines International. “I drive strategic initiatives around organizational design to help bring a structured process and thinking to help solve the problems my company is facing.”

The CoS can also offer feedback to other members of leadership and identify costs, risks, and any unforeseen obstacles. Referring to her previous management consulting experience, the Chief of Staff says, “I’ve seen and helped a lot of companies navigate difficult projects and change so I can help the executives here decide how to execute change. I can provide insight on change management, how to think about structuring their decisions, how to get others on board, identifying all strategic options, and how to evaluate those options.”

The very best modern-day CoS is the one who can establish trusting partnerships with senior leadership and remedy the headaches of an overstretched CEO. Whether it’s enhancing efficiency, promoting accountability, or simply being the go-to person who gets things done, an effective CoS can be the key to converting a CEO’s vision into results.

 

Hiring an Employment Lawyer: When & Why

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Thankfully not often, Raines International hears from clients and candidates who have seen their career shift unexpectedly and need help from an employment lawyer in a hurry. Workplace HR failures or a breach of a non-compete and non-disparagement contract may be the most well-known reasons for engaging an employment attorney. While times of workplace foul play may warrant the expertise and courtroom presence of a litigator, employment attorneys are much more than legal experts to put out a fire. More often than not, employment lawyers are instead engaged during times of transition, as well as seen by their clients as shapers of career strategy altogether. With this in mind, Raines International spoke with several leading employment attorneys to learn how a good employment attorney is not only actively engaged in litigating disagreement, but can be an invisible guardian to prevent disputes in the short, mid, and long-term.

 

Many executives only think of an employment attorney to resolve a legal dispute over firing, but Charles (“Chuck”) Forgang, Founder of the New York boutique employment law firm, Law Offices of Charles S. Forgang, and formerly a Partner at Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., recommends that executives should also consider consulting with an employment attorney before any career move. “Joining a company is usually a positive time when people are being brought together,” he tells Raines. The euphoria, however, could cloud an executive’s judgment and an employment lawyer can provide an objective view of contracts and flag important questions that shape your time with the firm, not only at the outset but sometimes continuing for years down the line. Given that most executives don’t stay at the same company their entire lives anymore, executives often have some leverage to help shape how their signing on and/or eventual exits will look at the onset of joining a new company. “You don’t want to overstate that leverage and you don’t want to use it foolishly,” explains Forgang. “Instead, I work with clients oftentimes behind the scenes playing Cyrano de Bergerac, whispering things in their ears that they may say or do, and together we create a wishlist.” With their guidance and expertise, employment attorneys such as Forgang are often able to help level the playing field for executives when negotiating with companies during a time when most are concerned with onboarding logistics or compensation negotiations.

 

So, when is the right time to engage an attorney if you are considering a move? Forgang says, “when you’re about to engage in serious discussion with a company or when you are considering a number of different options, that is when I would like to see the client… before it becomes a fire drill situation when things are much more difficult to manage. The earlier I become involved, the more I can try to either help shape the situation or help the client shape it.”

 

On the other end, when an executive is leaving a company — on his own terms or not — it can be helpful to get an attorney to help navigate the waters on your way out, Todd Garvelink, a Partner with Morrison Cohen tells us. An employment attorney may be able to drive compromise in situations involving non-competes or surprise firings. One executive we spoke with was unexpectedly terminated and used an employment attorney to protect his reputation with a non-disparagement clause. In that case, the executive was shocked by the sudden decision to eliminate his position, but Forgang notes in many instances, employees have an advance warning or a feeling that something isn’t right. “That’s when I want to meet with a client,” he says. “Sometimes you can help shape what happens going forward. Even if it’s an ultimate separation from the company, you can try to lay some tracks to potentially help yourself and lessen the severity of what’s about to happen.”

 

From the company side, employment lawyers urged the importance of consulting an attorney early and often. Attorneys should review contracts, policies and the like to ensure that organizations are not only protected from potential lawsuits but also compliant with any local, state and federal regulations concerning hiring, promotion, and firing. While employees often only think of the initial joining and ultimate separation from a company, issues such as proprietary work and adherence to regulations for leave often may need to be considered. Many companies don’t even realize the potential for litigation with the most routine decisions, and by bringing in an employment attorney to examine and develop best practices, companies can shield themselves from avoidable lawsuits, Janine Willis of Mozley, Finlayson & Loggins, LLP says. “The biggest missteps we see usually stem from issues in the company’s policies and practices,” Willis says. “We often see companies finding themselves with significant exposure where a simple tweak or change in a particular policy or practice on the front end could have shielded them dramatically or saved them significant sums of money.” Many times a company believes they are acting in the best interests of their employees, and have done nothing wrong, however, from a legal standpoint, they may be creating unnecessary problems, Willis explains. It is always best practice to have an attorney review company policies and practices on a routine basis to ensure the company’s management is not walking into a potential minefield. In the long run, the investment into an employment attorney can save a company money and time.

 

Likewise, individuals can protect themselves by having an employment attorney review all legal documents before signing. “My principal view is that no one should sign a legal document without having someone experienced in that area take a look. That’s my view across the board. I believe legal contracts should be viewed by someone who is highly experienced in that particular area,” Forgang says. “If you’re established in your career, I think it’s particularly important to have someone review any employment contract. Especially in the employment area, and it’s even more compelling when you’re established in your career and you’re making a move or a move has been made against you or is about to be made against you”

 

Similarly, Forgang notes “you’d like to speak to your doctor before things get out of hand,” so why wouldn’t you contact an attorney who has that depth of experience in reviewing employment contracts or relationships before signing on? Forgang echoes the ability of a good employment lawyer to help shape and direct without intruding in the negotiations. However, with that in mind, Garvelink warns us that at some points, using a lawyer can escalate or complicate negotiations. “Lawyers can only speak to the other side’s lawyer, who typically does not have the authority to make significant deal changes without further authorization from the client,” Garvelink says. “At some point, it’s often better for the two parties to sit down and work out open issues, with their lawyers helping with the talking points. And sometimes it’s better when the lawyers are not at that meeting.” Indeed, even though there can’t be any guarantees, that’s why Forgang often seeks to utilize his Cyrano de Bergerac type of approach in appropriate situations, so as to try to prepare his client for one-on-one discussions between the parties at a comparatively early stage, even if lawyer-to- lawyer negotiations may then have to follow.

 

While lawyers may help executives determine whether there is a possible negotiation, it is important to remember that lawyers should only provide direction and not decisions. “You don’t want your lawyer deciding whether or not you take a job,” Garvelink says. After all, a client may have the perfect contract and the worst job, or the best job with the worst contract. At the end of the day, the executive is who must decide what they want and if the position and resolution is ideal. Similarly, clients must find the right lawyer for the job — find an employment attorney with experience in your field, at your career level and to suit your needs. And be sure to ignore the stigma of an employment attorney — we would take reward over risk any day.

 

How Diversity is Helping Walmart Challenge eCommerce

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The retail sector faces competition like never before from the continued growth of Amazon, eBay, and other eCommerce companies, and the world’s top retailer, Walmart, isn’t immune to consumers’ rapidly changing buying habits.  With nearly 12,000 brick and mortar locations across 28 countries and 2.3 million employees of all backgrounds, Walmart believes diversity will help combat the e-commerce challenge. Walmart leverages diversity and inclusion through its multilingual outreach, its addition of ethnic products, and its focus on science to ensure employees feel included.

The Walmart supercenter in Dearborn, MI, is a great example of the company leveraging multilingual outreach to ensure diverse customers feel included. Hanging from the ceiling as customers enter are large welcome signs in several different languages including Arabic, English, and Spanish. Multilingual employees in many stores across the country are easily identified by name tags which identify what languages they speak.  Employees are encouraged to speak in their native languages in order to help customers feel welcomed.  These may seem like small gestures, but to the shopper with an international background, it shows that Walmart is taking extra steps to provide as welcoming a store atmosphere as any corner store or bodega where employees speak a shoppers’ native language.  By embracing the diversity of its employees and customers, Walmart creates a diverse and meaningful shopping experience.   

Another way Walmart leverages diversity and inclusion is by adding ethnic products to their shelves. It’s one thing to have a welcoming atmosphere in the store, but by offering the same cassava bread shoppers grew up with in Guyana, Walmart can connect and bring a bit of home back to its customers’ daily lives.  Walmart collects and analyzes demographic data from communities within a 10-mile radius of each store. This data is used in part to help regions and individual stores decide what products to stock and display. Going back to the Supercenter in Dearborn, MI – Walmart’s “ethnic food aisle” includes everything from hummus, falafel, Caribbean spices, and European yogurt. The aisle helps attract shoppers with Middle Eastern, West Indian, and Greek heritage.  Other Walmart stores have incorporated hair care products (such as shampoos, creams, and pomades that specifically target African American shoppers) and greeting cards that feature diverse individuals from across the spectrum.  Again, what may seem like a small gesture to some is part of Walmart telling everyone in their surrounding communities – whether Asian, African American, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, or other – that whatever they need can be found at Walmart.  

“At Walmart, the vision is to include everyone” Ben Saba Hasan, Chief Diversity Officer at Walmart tells Raines International. Promoting an all-inclusive environment – regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious views, etc. – isn’t just a feel-good thing to do, it’s a great business practice. Hasan explains,  “We collect performance data from all of our stores, and can see firsthand the impact of our diversity and inclusion efforts.  We share that data along with best practices to our regions.”  Rather than forcing mandates from national headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, Hasan says, leadership at the regional and store level can look at the data and realize the case for D&I is a no brainer.  

“The science behind it speaks for itself,” says Hasan.  Walmart studied the work of Dr. David Rock, a neuroscientist who works closely with scientists, large organizations, and leadership experts to develop better leaders and managers.  Walmart also worked extensively with Dr. Steven Robbins, another neuroscientist who works on the science of human behavior.  Among Dr. Robbins’ many findings – people are “hard-wired to belong.”  The neurons at work when an individual feels pain are the same neurons at work when an individual doesn’t feel included.  “Imagine yourself in pain all day,” says Hasan. Not feeling included “can negatively hinder your performance because it makes it harder to do simple, day-to-day tasks.”  

People naturally want to feel included, and employees who feel included lead to more quality interactions, more innovation and more loyalty.  Customers who feel welcomed and included become loyal customers and repeat customers, helping Walmart attract and retain customers. Walmart may be facing new threats to traditional retail as customers use e-commerce as a channel to shop, but leveraging diversity and inclusion helps Walmart respond to the challenge.