Happy Spring! Here in the northeast, the daffodils and crocus are starting to open up (even if there’s still snow in the forecast for the next week) and there is excitement in the air as we prepare for the hectic pace of April and May leading up to commencement. Like many of you, I’ll be pulled in a hundred different directions over the next eight weeks as we close out the 2023-24 school year, but this year I am particularly energized and ready to tackle the new and emerging challenges of the work ahead.
As the NASPA Annual Conference came to a close last month, on my long flight home from Seattle I spent some time reflecting on all that we’ve accomplished over the last eighteen months or so since officially forming the Strategic, Administrative, Operations, and Executive Advisory Roles Steering Committee, and it’s a lot! We’ve hosted virtual conversations, town hall meetings, pre-conference workshops, and sponsored sessions. We’ve compiled resources to support the work, building the library that will serve as the foundation for our shared work. We’ve improved communications by establishing a new listserv and a new newsletter. We’ve made countless connections with peers across the country and strengthened relationships with colleagues we’ve known for years. All that—all those victories—has sustained me, but really what excites me is what lies ahead.
We had so many excellent conversations with chiefs of staff, AVPs, strategic advisors (the list of titles we all hold goes on, and on, and…) about what we want next. What do we have our eyes on for the future? This work will keep me focused on the finish line of the semester because there are big things in store for our constituency in the year ahead!
Check out just some of the ways you can join us, below! Yours, Pete
Pete Smith
Chair
NASPA Strategic, Administrative, Operations, and Executive Advisory Roles Steering Committee
Chief of Staff, Student Affairs and Campus Life
University of Massachusetts Amherst
2024 NASPA Annual Conference Recap
We enjoyed spending time with you at the NASPA Annual Conference in Seattle. We appreciate the valuable feedback you provided around Town Halls and future conversations we can have. In these types of roles, connection is important and we are excited to continue virtually until we can see each other again. We encourage you to use the ListServ to connect, ask questions, share resources, and support.
Our first pre-conference as a constituent group was a major success. With more than 20 participants from across the country, we spent time honing our story-telling skills to accurately articulate the who, how, and why of our work. We addressed some of the central challenges of the chief of staff role and then closed out the session with some long-term professional development planning that prioritizes our growth and development. The energy and excitement in the room were palpable, and we can’t wait to offer even more opportunities to connect in future conferences.
Virtual Conversation: Navigating the Relationship with Your Principal
Whether you are new to the Strategic Principal Advisor role or have served for years, navigating the relationship with your principal is the foundation of your success. Come talk with other strategic advisors to share and learn tips on how best to develop, foster, and maximize your relationship with your principal. This session will have a mixture of large group and small group discussions. Join us as we learn from each other.
This virtual session will be on Thursday, April 18 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Carson is currently the Executive Advisor to the Vice President for Student Affairs at James Madison University. Her main roles are providing strategic direction and operation oversight to the Division of Student Affairs. She oversees Communications and Marketing, Vice President Office Administrative Support, and Project Management teams. Carson is what they call a “Double Duke” where she received both her Master's and Bachelor's degrees at James Madison University. She is currently working on her doctorate degree. She has spent time serving in student leadership and residence life prior to this role.
Carson Lonett, Executive Advisor to the Vice President for Student Affairs, James Madison University
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My advice for new individuals in these types is to make the role your own. You won’t do it like the last person and the person who succeeds you won’t do it like you do. Lean into coalition building and build strategic relationships early and often. You always want to have three genuine and intentional conversations with someone before you need to ask them for assistance or buy-in.
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One thing I wish I knew was to honor and hear what my Vice President said early on: “You are here in this role for a reason, and it’s because I believe in you”. I walked into my role with a lot of imposter syndrome. I was the first in the role (it was a new position) and with that came a lot of baggage in different areas. I wish I had let that go, leaned in without feeling like I had something to prove, and had a little more faith in my skills and abilities.
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Summer or winter? I am a winter person! I know it’s dark more often, but I love the snow.
Sneakers or dress shoes? You will always find me in tennis shoes unless I am told dress shoes are needed. Comfort>style!
Morning person or night owl? I am up promptly at 4:15am every morning to coach fitness classes with some awesome early birds. I am in bed promptly at 8:30pm… and that means under covers…almost sleeping!
Professional Development/Resources for Strategic Principal Advisors
Interested in Certifications? There are so many options for you to grow your skill set and the right choice is dependent on your role and what responsibilities you have.
In our previous newsletter, we mentioned the organization Nova Chief of Staff that offers COS coaching and a COS certificate program. Maggie Olson, the founder of Nova Chief of Staff, shared the following with us about the program.
Nova Chief of Staff Certification is designed for you to take the next step in your career journey, at your own pace and with your unique goals in mind. Our past students include current and prospective Chiefs of Staff, Executive Assistants, general managers, executive business partners, and other professionals! The fully online course contains 6 modules, each designed to take about a week (~5-10 hours) to complete, but students can start, work on, or complete the course at their own convenience. Once enrolled, you’ll have two meetings with the instructor–one at the beginning and the other at the end of the course to discuss the course and ask any questions you may have.
Nova’s hands-on coursework is crafted for you to learn the foundational skills needed to set yourself up for success as a Chief of Staff (CoS) or to excel in an executive support role. In assignments taken directly from day-to-day responsibilities of a CoS team working for a senior executive, you’ll learn how to master strategic recommendations, PowerPoint presentations, executive project management, complex meeting agendas, and much more! When you complete the course, you’ll leave with the following:
A full portfolio of your work.
A one-page flier summarizing the skills you gained in the course that you can share with current or prospective employers.
Over 20 templates and tools to use on the job.
Access to a private LinkedIn group for graduates.
A digital badge and certificate of completion that give you a competitive edge in your next interview.
Need some more information? Click here to see a general informational flier that outlines the program. Additionally, we have a flier designed to help employers understand the benefits of the course and support employees’ investment in certification. That’s viewable/downloadable here.
If you are looking for topic-specific certifications consider a Project Management or Change Management program that can round out your skillset and help you be even more effective! Know of other certifications and resources that have helped you be successful and efficient in your role? Add them to the list of resources by submitting them below.
If you haven’t yet, request to join our listserv here.
The committee created a list of resources for this community. Check it out here. If you would like to submit a resource to be added to this list, please submit this form.
“So many organizations use data that describe high-performing teams to create high-performing individuals. It doesn’t work. What makes a high performing team is the team ethic—not a drive for individual performance or recognition.” - Simon Sinek
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