Ep. 606 - Arron Coaching Founder Laurie Aaron - Speak Yourself Into the Room

What does it take to sit at the right hand of three different CEOs, back to back, and make each partnership work?In this Fan Favorite episode, Cameron Herold sits down with Laurie Aaron, former Chief of Staff at AT&T and now founder of Arron Coaching, LLC, to revisit one of the show's most clarifying conversations on a role almost nobody truly understands.Laurie's path is rare: 30 years inside AT&T and three successive CEOs gave her a front-row seat to how the chief of staff role must reinvent itself with every leader. She breaks down what separates a chief of staff from a COO and an executive assistant, and why the best ones prevent problems the CEO never even sees.Whether you're wondering if you need a chief of staff, or wondering if you already are one, this conversation demystifies the role end to end. Listen now.Sponsored by:AMP - a practical, proven methodology that helps teams move from trying to do more with AI to achieving more because of it, replacing fragmented experimentation with real AI Operations capability. Through personalized training, strategy, and hands-on support, teams get a clear path to build momentum and embed AI into daily work. Learn more here.Timestamped Highlights00:00 Why the Chief of Staff Role Is So Misunderstood02:10 The Origins: From the Military to the Corporate World04:30 What Every Effective Chief of Staff Has in Common07:15 Chief of Staff vs. COO: Where the Roles Diverge10:05 My Right Hand and My Left Hand: Chief of Staff vs. Executive Assistant13:40 How Title Inflation Diluted the Role16:20 What Chiefs of Staff Are Actually Paid19:00 Writing Who Has Your Back?21:30 Can Any C-Suite Leader Have a Chief of Staff?24:15 Where the Best Chiefs of Staff Really Come From27:00 Why You Should Look Internally First30:10 Building the Interview Squad33:45 How Trust Gets Built Between a CEO and Their Chief36:20 The Handshake Meeting: Setting the Vows39:50 Knowing When and How to Challenge a CEO43:00 Coaching CEOs and Chiefs of Staff as a Team45:30 Speak Yourself Into the Room: Laurie's Advice to Her Younger SelfAbout the GuestLaurie Aaron built her expertise on the chief of staff role over 30 years at AT&T, where she served as chief of staff to three different CEOs in succession. She is now the founder and CEO of Arron Coaching, LLC, a trusted advisor and executive coach to C-Suite leaders and chiefs of staff, and the author of Who Has Your Back?: A Leader's Guide to Getting the Support You Need by the Chief of Staff You Deserve.Mentioned ResourcesWho Has Your Back?Hit The Ground RunningAT&TThe Misunderstood Role of the COOcooalliance.com/freebookImportant LinksConnect with Cameron: Website | LinkedInExplore the COO Alliance – The World's Leading Community for Seconds in CommandGet Cameron's book: Second in Command, Unleash the Power of Your COO BookClaim your FREE copy: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO BookTake his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi