In general, a Chief of Staff provides a buffer between a Chief Executive and that executive's direct-reporting team. The Chief of Staff generally works behind the scenes to solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before they bubble up to the Chief Executive. In this Experts' Roundtable, ADU reached out to a few who serve in the unique position of Chief of Staff to find out about the intricacies of holding such a title. This includes insight from the athletics department view, perspective from a president's office, and thoughts from someone who serves in the role within a football office.
"The interview" can range from an intimidating pressurized drill session to a personable enlightening conversation. Preparation is what separates those who do well from those who falter. But even with preparation, the fit may or may not be there. In the two videos below, Daniel Parker of Parker Executive Search conducts mock interviews with Bob Walsh, Head Basketball Coach at Maine, and Tavaras Hardy, Assistant Coach at Georgia Tech.
Based on my experience running searches during my tenure at San Jose State and Memphis, it all comes down to the inner circle you create to help in the process. There’s obviously a lot of buzz and interest in who you may or may not be speaking to, and it’s easier than ever for information to spread with social media. That’s why you have to establish early on what your procedures are, and then you have to be extremely careful about the people that you are bringing in to help you make them.
Rick Hart, Director of Athletics at SMU, and Ed McLaughlin, Director of Athletics at VCU sit down with Katie Young of Witt/Keiffer to discuss the process of hiring and onboarding a first time head coach. Both executives recommend that a first time head coach hire a former head coach as a top assistant on the staff to help guide and give direction on issues that may arise. Of course, they acknowledge this isn’t always possible so the AD may have to serve as the voice of reason in certain situations. The discussions also goes into the thought process of sitting down with someone for the actual interview.
Mark Jackson, AD at Villanova, discusses his Four F’s of Leadership. Family, Faith, Friendships, and having Fun are the drivers that keep Jackson motivated in his role as a leader. He suggests to those coming up in the sports industry or any industry to take time to figure out themselves through self discovery. Jackson also touches on making decisions, and handling annual reviews. The leadership lessons in this brief video are abundant.
ADU visits with Ryan Ivey (Austin Peay) and Tom Michael (Eastern Illinois) to discuss the process of creating a unique value proposition. The two discuss what it is they do to differentiate their respective institutions from those within their conference and essentially, everyone else in the nation.
