Via Run the Numbers with CJ Gustafson

“I think you have [an] advantage when you are not the CEO. You can watch things from [the] perspective of: you can learn, you can hear what’s said, you can try to process that information. And sometimes you can replay it back to the CEO. Like: “Did you mean this or did you mean that?” Or even, after the meeting, say, “You know, what someone could have heard was something different than what you meant to [say].“

Many times you also have the advantage of augmenting that information. Whether it be strategic, related to the culture, or employees, you can add some additional information.

So it’s really a great position to be in, where you can hear and synthesize, and actually try to make that message even better than it might come out the first time by the CEO. That really should be the role of anyone in a number two or in a supporting-executive role—to try to close gaps in the messaging.

— How the Best CFOs Lead Without Being the CEO | Ken Stillwell, at 7:47

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When you’re not the CEO, you have the luxury of listening, processing, and augmenting the message before it lands with the broader organization.

Ken Stillwell (CFO and COO of Pegasystems) describes this as being able to “watch things from a perspective where you can learn, hear what’s said, process that information, and sometimes replay it back to the CEO.“

People who support a CEO, such as the COO, CFO, or the Chief of Staff, are in a prime position to listen hard during a conversation and make tactical interventions:

• You can clarify in real-time: “Did you mean this or that?” or “Let me repeat what I think you meant by that.”
• You can add color and context after meetings to ensure alignment
• You can synthesize what was said and make the message even better
• You can offer feedback to improve future communication
• You can close gaps in messaging before they create organizational confusion

The key is building a relationship with the principal executive where you can provide real-time feedback without undermining authority or putting them on the defensive.