Hi {{first_name|there}},
Happy Wednesday.
This week is all about ownership; who owns AI inside a company, and how you tell a real Chief of Staff role from one wearing the title.
On the Chief of Staff Podcast, Zen Foo sits down with Tristan Lim, to make the case for why the Chief of Staff should own AI adoption. We also shared a new blog on spotting a genuine Chief of Staff seat!
Scroll on!
🎧 Why the Chief of Staff Should Own AI Adoption, with Zen Foo
Most companies know they want AI adoption. Almost none of them know who owns it. We’ve heard a vew varying interpretations of this on past episodes, but Zen Foo, Chief of Staff at Aspire, has a clear answer, and it isn't the CEO or the COO. It's the person already sitting in the cross-functional middle of everything.
THE CHIEF OF STAFF PODCAST
Why the Chief of Staff Should Own AI Adoption, with Zen Foo
The only way you'll get people to experience that magic moment is if you show them something or get them to build something that resonates with what they do every day.
His argument is about org design, not personal productivity. AI enablement sits across every team, so it needs someone with visibility across the whole org. Zen walks host Tristan Lim through the three stages every company moves through, from hype to beautiful chaos to governance, and why the hard part was never picking the tools. It's getting people to actually use them.
📌 How to Identify a Good Chief of Staff Role
Only about one in five Chief of Staff job postings is the real thing. The rest are project manager or executive assistant seats wearing a more exciting title. The gap costs people years.
Our new guide lays out six diagnostic signals to run before you say yes, so you can tell a genuine strategic partnership from a title-only role. Worth a read whether you're hiring for the seat or deciding whether to take one.
🚀 Chief of Staff Launchpad
If you're aiming for your first Chief of Staff role, or you're early in one, the Launchpad is built for you. It's a rigorous, cohort-based certification that goes past functional skills into the judgment and interpersonal fluency the job actually runs on.
Next cohort runs September 16-17, plus office hours September 18.
Limited spots.
📆 Upcoming Events
📍 This Week
AUG 13 THU |
Chiefs of Staff Roundtable Talks: How to AI, Day 1 Impact, Scaling Systems, Agency & Compassion SingaporeIn Person Tomorrow -- sponsored by Notion. A roundtable on AI adoption, scaling systems, and staying human about it. Only 7 spots left. |
Next 2 Weeks
AUG 27 THU |
CoS AI Buildathon: From Skills to Connected Projects, Part 2 Virtual Part 2 of the Buildathon series -- connecting your AI skills into real projects. |
SEP 2 WED |
If AI Can Replace You by Friday -- Why Would Anyone Promote You on Monday? Virtual On staying visible to leadership -- and the promotion you'll miss if you don't. |
September & October
SEP 9 WED |
Austin Chief of Staff Meetup: AI Demo Night AustinIn Person Austin Chiefs of Staff show off what they've built with AI. |
SEP 10 THU |
Frankfurt Chief of Staff Chapter Launch FrankfurtIn Person The Frankfurt chapter goes live. Be part of the founding group. |
SEP 14 MON |
Chief of Staff Connect -- Berlin Forum BerlinForum The flagship European forum. World-class Chiefs of Staff, one day, Berlin. |
SEP 16 WED |
Boston CoS Meetup BostonIn Person Boston Chiefs of Staff, this is your room. |
SEP 24 THU |
CoS AI Buildathon: The Dashboard, Part 3 Virtual Part 3 of the Buildathon series. |
OCT 1 THU |
Decision Protocols Under Pressure Virtual A new session on making sound calls when the pressure's on. |
OCT 22 THU |
Chief of Staff Connect -- New York New YorkForum The New York forum. |
That's it for this week. If one of these events is in your city, go. The room is the whole point.
Scott
