Biggest Challenges Faced By A Finance Chief Of Staff At PagerDuty
Andrew's biggest challenge as Chief of Staff is "operating with ambiguity and limited information," requiring a "self-starter mindset" to creatively solve problems with incomplete data; this necessitates navigating the organization, finding the right people and information, which, although challenging, is also "really fun."
Executive/Leadership, Problem-Solving, Communication, Overcoming Challenges, Ambiguity
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Andrew La Follette
Chief of Staff, Finance
PagerDuty
University of Arizona, 2012
UCLA MBA
Political Science, American Studies
Technology
Finance
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Operating with ambiguity and limited information is a significant challenge and a crucial skill for a Chief of Staff. Executives often provide limited context, requiring the Chief of Staff to be creative, accountable, and resourceful in finding solutions.
2. The role demands a self-starter mindset; one must be proactive in seeking information, navigating the organization to identify relevant people and tools, and demonstrating initiative.
3. Despite the challenges, the problem-solving aspect of the role—described as 'solving a mystery'—is highlighted as an enjoyable and engaging aspect of the job. This involves curiosity and engaging with various individuals to find necessary information and solutions
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
Yes, it's one of the skills I mentioned earlier: operating with ambiguity and limited information. This is a challenging skill, especially for a chief of staff role.
Executives often don't have the time to explain everything. They'll tell you what they need and expect you to figure out how to provide the answer.
So, you really have to be creative and own the task with a level of accountability. You can't just say you didn't know what to do and therefore did nothing. That won't work when reporting to an executive or a VP.
You have to be nimble, agile, and crafty to find the information. Navigate the organization to find people or tools that have what you need, and talk with the right people.
You truly need a self-starter mindset for the chief of staff role. It's a challenge, but also really fun. It's like solving a mystery sometimes.
You know the information exists in the company, you need it, and now you have to talk to people who might have it. You approach it with curiosity, and that's what makes it fun.
So, while it's challenging operating with ambiguity, it's also very fun.