What’s it like stepping into the Chief of Staff role at a purpose driven company?
By: Winter Wall
What does a team look and feel like that can inspire change in the financial industry and well beyond? I have the privilege to work with a team that is ambitious, driven and passionate. Our work is more than any one of us. We see a world in which we can work to steward capital with a sense of purpose, empathy and intention. We get to work with renegades, creatives, innovators, wealth creators and inheritors to help them shape and define their legacy and by definition craft how success is measured. I joined the Align Impact team almost a year ago, the ride has been epic and I’m just getting started.
The role of Chief of Staff is more than a little amorphous, it can mean many things in different organizations. At Align, we have designed the role to sit at the nexus of strategy, communication and culture. When these three elements are working in concert, full potential can be reached- for individuals and for an organization. I have been a part of many teams that excelled at one or two of the three and some that have struggled with each of the three. The magic occurs in the connection and cohesion of each element.
Stepping into the Align Impact culture, a company that has been on a sharp growth trajectory for the last nine years, has provided invaluable insights into the DNA of change management, relational dynamics, and the natural - but often uncomfortable- evolution of a business. I came into the firm with a commitment to listen and learn. I designed the first several months centered around understanding the team, the dynamics, the business, the clients and the vision all in an effort to be able to centralize communications, distill our vision and growth path and continue to expand upon and invigorate the culture at Align. What has arisen from those months, the countless conversations, deep dives, projects and offsites are a set of questions and guiding needs that if fulfilled will drive us forward in our mission to redefine success. I am often tempted to close loops, tie loose ends and provide answers. One of the lessons I have learned on this journey so far is the value I can add by prompting the right questions and creating the space for the ideation, discernment and galvanizing required to execute our widely compelling vision. This, I am learning, is what is meant by championing.
What does it mean to champion an existing team? Some of whom have worked together for eight years, five years, two years, some who are new and all of whom are deeply passionate? What does teamwork, excellence and clarity look like in a remote, dispersed environment? And amidst the cacophony of burnout and the hustle, how do we carve out sanctuaries for mental well-being while nurturing productivity and equilibrium? How do we as leaders model balance, own our mistakes and move forward with the learnings that can build trust? How do we balance our energy and demonstrate mastery, especially when we are building something new, transformative and industry shifting?
These questions are not just ponderings but vital inquiries into the very foundation and cohesion of our team. Just as we scrutinize investment opportunities, I am challenged to scrutinize our practices, ensuring they are steeped in human-centered design, fostering an environment of abundance rather than depletion. The work we want to do in the world must begin with us.
Reflecting on the fundamental needs that drive us all—autonomy tethered to structure, recognition nurtured by teamwork, meaningful labor intertwined with joy, and the innate desire for connection juxtaposed with the allure of independence – I am driven to reinforce, create and iterate a flourishing culture at Align. For it's within this delicate equilibrium that we find not only success but sustenance for the journey ahead.