The Chief of Staff Podcast The Stunt Double: How Chiefs of Staff Create Impact Through Anticipation
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Jan 14, 2026 Itamar Melamed, Senior Director and Chief of Staff at Empathy, shares his insights on mastering the elusive Chief of Staff role. He discusses how to measure success without clear KPIs by tracking decisions taken off the CEO's plate. Itamar explains the importance of anticipating needs, reading calendar patterns, and building trust. He likens Chiefs of Staff to stunt doubles, emphasizing the necessity of adapting to the CEO's communication style. The conversation highlights creating organizational impact through proactive engagement and managing up effectively.
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Syncs Become High-Value Discussion
- Anticipatory syncs focus on discussion and deep context, not repeated priority alignment.
- When you truly share context, short cues or brief messages can replace long explanations.
Learn Preferences By Asking And Shadowing
- Do ask colleagues who have long worked with your principal about preferences and no-gos.
- Do shadow meetings and iterate drafts to learn tone and expectations fast.
Calendars Are A Strategic Signal
- Calendars reveal patterns about what truly matters and where time is spent.
- Use calendar signals to decide when to take work off the CEO's plate or reassign focus.