This episode talks about how leaders, especially a Chief of Staff, should handle layoffs with respect and care. Emily shares real-life examples of leadership teams deciding who gets cut, the importance of considering all other options first, and how to communicate tough financial realities to staff. He also discusses making fair decisions on who to inform, and gives practical advice on what to say in all-hands meetings when layoffs are on the table.

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:

00:42 The Importance of Handling Layoffs Well
01:12 Personal Experience with Layoffs
01:54 Philosophy on Layoffs
02:58 Deciding on Layoffs
04:29 Planning and Coordination
10:56 Communicating Layoff Plans
15:40 Final Thoughts and Leadership Responsibility

Marcelo Elliott-Lopez, Chief of Staff and head of HR at La Tourangelle, shares how his combined role helps connect HR strategy directly to company goals. He talks about using AI to handle repetitive HR tasks, setting up ad hoc committees for grassroots improvement, and building effective communication across teams. Marcelo also gives practical examples, like launching sustainability initiatives and merging HR data with business planning, and recommends pistachio oil on ice cream as a personal favorite.

Links Mentioned:

• La Tourangelle Artisan Oil

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:

00:51 Background and Career Path
01:35 About La Tourangelle
02:36 Role of Chief of Staff and HR
04:08 Benefits of a Dual Role
07:44 Impact of AI in HR
12:55 Balancing Chief of Staff and HR Responsibilities
17:43 Talent Management Strategies
19:31 Communication and Leadership
24:45 Continuous Improvement and Empowerment
32:45 Practical Advice for Setting Up People Operations
36:00 Favorite Products and Conclusion

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

Vivek Modi shares his journey from engineering in Africa to consulting at Ernst and Young and Roland Berger, and now to Chief of Staff for two CEOs at a fast-growing German startup. He compares consulting and Chief of Staff roles, breaks down how he builds trust with senior leaders, and offers practical advice on influencing without authority. Vivek also highlights the importance of clarifying responsibilities before taking on a Chief of Staff job and talks about using LinkedIn for mentoring and connecting.

Links Mentioned:

• Connect with Vivek Modi on LinkedIn

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:

00:46 Vivek's Journey to Chief of Staff
01:53 Transition to Consulting
02:45 Chief of Staff Role Explained
03:30 Consulting vs. Chief of Staff
08:48 Influencing Without Authority
09:53 Building Trust and Relationships
22:06 Operational vs. Strategic Work
28:02 Supporting Two CEOs
37:14 Mentorship and Giving Back
38:59 Future Aspirations and Conclusion

Emily shares a personal story about being made the interim leader of a digital marketing department as Chief of Staff, even though he knew nothing about digital marketing at the time. She talks about asking basic questions like "What does SEO stand for?" and dealing with colleagues who doubted her, including being called out during a team meeting. The episode highlights how not being a technical expert can actually be an advantage and gives tips for handling imposter syndrome by focusing on transferable skills and tracking your own progress.

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:

02:04 Emily's Story: Taking on a New Role
04:00 Facing Challenges and Learning on the Job
12:04 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome with Confidence
15:28 Navigating New Responsibilities
16:44 Building Confidence Through Experience
21:36 Embracing Vulnerability as a Leader
23:37 Redefining Imposter Syndrome

Chanelle Pearson, Chief of Staff at the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, shares how her career moved from journalism to leading teams in advocacy, media, and events. She talks about launching the Chamber Change women’s leadership program, organizing the upcoming World Chambers Congress in Melbourne, and balancing her diverse responsibilities. Chanelle also offers advice for other Chiefs of Staff and explains how her team listens to members and shapes business policy.

Links Mentioned:
14th World Chambers Congress

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:

00:39 Chanelle Pearson's Career Journey
02:25 Understanding Chambers of Commerce
04:05 Victorian Chamber of Commerce Activities
07:38 Women in Business Program
13:56 Role of Chief of Staff
19:00 World Chambers Congress
26:09 Final Thoughts and Farewell