No surprises: for chiefs of staff, job no. 1 is keeping their bosses plugged in and perpetually prepared.

• Author: Wood, Natalie O'Donnell
• Position: LEGISLATIVE STAFF

What do a fishing boat captain, a former FBI agent, an aspiring doula and a capitol restoration buff have in common? In this case, they all have eyes in the back of their heads, keen communication skills and an uncanny way of knowing just what to say to the press. These four--Jesse Ancira from Texas, Alaska's Tom Wright, Vermont's Leah Marvin-Riley and Tim Mapes from Illinois--belong to an elite group of legislative employees. They are the chiefs of staff to presiding officers.

A chief's job is multifaceted. Chiefs gather intelligence on issues and strategize responses. They act as sounding boards for legislators and convey their boss's positions on everything from bills to chairmanships. They speak to the press. They create talking points. They listen and respond to constituents. They work with lobbyists. They track legislation. They deal with personnel problems, manage staff and sometimes offer advice on behavior. They may structure the day-to-day agenda during session or work on capitol projects.

But most important, they make sure there are no surprises.

All chiefs must excel at dealing with people, solving problems and navigating the legislative process for getting things done. To accomplish that, they have to know how to communicate effectively.

What Does a Chief Do?

"I was hired to be the eyes and ears of the speaker," says Leah Marvin-Riley, chief of staff to Vermont Speaker Shap Smith (D). "I have a lot of conversations with people who need to be heard. I do a lot of listening. But my big responsibility is to determine what the speaker needs to be aware of."

"There are different fires every day," says Jesse Ancira, chief of staff for Texas Speaker of the House Joe Strauss (R). "But the common denominator is watching your boss's back, being his eyes and ears, and assessing what the mood is, what the temperament is."

They listen, they watch and they speak. Tom Wright, Alaska's chief of staff to Speaker Mike Chenault (R) and NCSL's current staff chair, says his main role, especially in meetings with legislators and staff is "to communicate, to get across what we want done, what we see happening, what the timeline looks like, especially at the end of session."

There's also the occasional dispute to deal with. That's when chiefs' problem-solving skills come in handy. Tim Mapes, chief of staff for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D), agrees that clear, frequent communication is essential to the job. "I regulate disputes occasionally--most often because members believe something they've heard, often a conversation out of context," he says. "If you take the time to sit down and have a conversation, most of the time they will leave with a better understanding of the issue, of where the caucus is, and of the speaker's position. It just needs a good, thorough discussion."

People Person, Process Lover

None of the skills mentioned above will be effective if the chief can't work well with people. "Never forget that this is all about people and relationships," says Ancira.

A chief of staff relies on his or her people skills to diffuse conflict, deal with difficult egos, manage different personalities or build trust among the various legislative players. Chiefs of staff are often the point of contact for legislators from both parties, other legislative staff, lobbyists, the governor, the governor's staff, other statewide elected officials, U.S. representatives and senators, the press and constituents.

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