In this episode, executive Lawrence Coburn shares his experiences and advice on effectively using a Chief of Staff, emphasizing trust and strategic planning. He talks about bringing back a former intern, Matt, to fill this critical role during a period of rapid company growth. Lawrence also discusses their AI tool, Ambient, which not only takes notes but identifies owners and next steps, creating a dynamic project dashboard. Hear about their latest feature release which auto-adds forwarded project-related emails to the dashboard.

00:45 Introducing Today's Guest: Lawrence Coburn

01:02 The Journey of a Founder and the Impact of a Chief of Staff

02:25 The Story of Double Dutch and the Role of a Chief of Staff

06:59 The Importance of Defining the Chief of Staff Role

12:17 Building Trust and the Evolution of the Chief of Staff Role

15:28 Special Projects and Strategic Initiatives: The Chief of Staff's Domain

17:21 The Ever-Present Challenge of Pricing

17:46 Defining Roles and Responsibilities

18:12 Communicating Roles to the Leadership Team

19:12 The Importance of Having Your Team's Back

21:36 The Unique Trust in a Chief of Staff

23:54 Introducing Ambient: AI for Chiefs of Staff

26:48 Ambient's Features and Future Directions

31:01 The Value of AI in Project Management

34:50 Closing Thoughts and How to Learn More

About The Author

Emily Sander is an ICF-certified leadership coach with more than 15 years of experience in the business world and the author of Hacking Executive Leadership. She’s been featured in several print publications, online articles, and podcasts, including CEO Today Magazine, Leading to Fulfillment, and Leadership Powered by Common Sense. 

Emily has a passion for helping business leaders reach their full potential. Go here to read her story from seasoned executive to knowledgeable coach. If you want to send Emily a quick message, then visit her contact page here.