Over the next 20 minutes
“I’m going to show you one of the playbooks I run to help my CEO keep his output high.”
Founder resourceLeader $5m+
Go Fast Without Sacrificing Quality: How Simplero's CEO and COS Make Decisions
A chief of staff's 1:3:1 approach to faster CEO decisions: pre-frame the ask, bring proof, and request exactly what you need
Beth Barr-Jobson · Simplero
Published September 6, 2023About this resource
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What you’ll learn
This talk presents a practical communication playbook for helping a CEO maintain focus and output. It recommends framing a request with context, making a clear ask, and specifying the outcome, with examples for delegating effectively.
Read the source passagesKey moments
Find the ideas you need and go straight to the source.
Let’s start with Pre-frame
“Set both of you up for success”
3 Critical Tools We Rely On
“3 Critical Tools We Rely On:”
And now onto Ask
“Specify exactly which points”
Over the last 20 minutes
“I showed you the playbook I run to keep my CEO operating in his zone of genius.”
Over the next 20 minutes
“I’m going to show you one of the playbooks I run to help my CEO keep his output high.”
Let’s start with Pre-frame
“Set both of you up for success”
3 Critical Tools We Rely On
“3 Critical Tools We Rely On:”
And now onto Ask
“Specify exactly which points”
Over the last 20 minutes
“I showed you the playbook I run to keep my CEO operating in his zone of genius.”
Preview slides
Open slide preview in Google SlidesResource files
Beth Saastr Slide deck
Beth is the Chief of Staff at Simplero and a former OBM for Simplero Admins. Beth has been using Simplero for about 5 years and loves being a part of the team that makes your Simplero experience better every day.
- Company revenue
- $8.1M
- Team size
- 24
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Slide by slide
Each slide with a short explanation of what it shows. Open the slide text for its exact wording.
12 passages
Introduction
Slide text
Go Fast Without Sacrificing Quality: How Simplero's CEO and COS Make Decisions Beth Barr-Jobson Chief of Staff, Simplero
Over the next 20 minutes
A three-step decision playbook
The presentation introduces a playbook for helping a CEO keep output high: pre-frame the request, bring proof, then ask for feedback, action, or a decision. The agenda previews how each stage makes decisions faster without losing context.
Slide text
Over the next 20 minutes I’m going to show you one of the playbooks I run to help my CEO keep his output high. What does the asker need? Why are we talking about it? Show, not tell Links and data Consider risks Feedback Action Decision: 1:3:1 Pre-frame Bring Proof Ask
Simplero operates at meaningful scale
The slide identifies Simplero as a $4m ARR business. Its MRR chart rises over time and ends at $343,512, showing the scale of the company whose decision process the talk describes.
Slide text
$4m ARR business
Structure decisions before the meeting
The framework pairs a written CEO and chief of staff project sync with four stages: pre-frame the request, bring evidence, ask clearly for feedback or action, and frame a decision as one topic, three options, and one recommendation.
Slide text
Simplero’s Framework for How to Make Decisions Faster Without Sacrificing Quality
Let’s start with Pre-frame
Pre-frame the request and its stakes
Before work begins, clarify whether the CEO needs feedback, help, or a decision. Establish what was requested, where it came from, why it matters, and what could fail if it is left unresolved.
Slide text
Let’s start with Pre-frame Set both of you up for success Feedback Help Decision What did you ask me to handle? Where did this come from? Why are we talking about this? What fails if we don’t handle this? Pre-Frame Charge Why?
Bring concise evidence and risks
Prepare proof before asking for a decision: show who did what, link the relevant documents or project work, and explain risks with possible mitigations. Keep the presentation concise and ask how much detail the CEO needs at that point.
Slide text
Let’s jump into Bring Proof Come prepared Who did what & how? Don’t rush Be concise Spreadsheets, Docs Project Mgmt system Video clips Ask how much he needs at this time Consider risks and mitigation strategies Show your work This Varies Strategize Show, don’t tell
3 Critical Tools We Rely On
Use separate tools for separate work
The team assigns urgent communication to Telegram, project management to Linear, and other work to Simplero. The three-tool split gives each kind of work a clear home.
Slide text
3 Critical Tools We Rely On: Project Management Everything else Urgent communication
And now onto Ask
Make the ask specific and actionable
State exactly which points need feedback and who should take the next action, rather than asking an open-ended question. For a decision, offer three options and one recommendation with reasons, then move to action where possible.
Slide text
And now onto Ask What do I need from you now Specify exactly which points Never ‘so, what do you think’ Might have gotten it during Proof phase By you or someone you need to contact Be specific Do it now if possible Offer a 1:3:1 3 options 1 recommendation with reasons Feedback Action Decision
Apply the framework to meeting feedback
The example evaluates a weekly meeting agenda that is not producing focused discussion. It lays out three choices, recommends splitting the meeting into two shorter sessions, and states the decision and follow-up actions clearly.
Slide text
What this Looks Like in Real Life Feedback on a proposal to change a key meeting agenda
The chief of staff works across teams
The org chart places the chief of staff alongside the CEO and shows the CEO connected to marketing, sales, product and design, engineering, customer service, and administration. It illustrates the coordination role that supports decisions across the company.
Slide text
Team Structure
Over the last 20 minutes
Recap the CEO decision playbook
The recap returns to the three stages: pre-frame what is needed and why, bring proof through links and data while considering risks, then ask for feedback, action, or a 1:3:1 decision. Together, they help the CEO focus on the work where he is most effective.
Slide text
Over the last 20 minutes I showed you the playbook I run to keep my CEO operating in his zone of genius. What do I need from him? Why are we talking about it? Show, not tell Links and data Consider risks Feedback Action Decision: 1:3:1 Pre-frame Bring Proof Ask
Beth closes with thanks
Beth Barr-Jobson closes the presentation with a thank-you and her role as Simplero’s chief of staff. The final card returns attention to the speaker and the company behind the decision-making framework.
Slide text
[redacted email] Beth Barr-Jobson Chief of Staff, Simplero
Slide by slide
Each slide with a short explanation of what it shows. Open the slide text for its exact wording.
12 passages
Introduction
Slide text
Go Fast Without Sacrificing Quality: How Simplero's CEO and COS Make Decisions Beth Barr-Jobson Chief of Staff, Simplero
Over the next 20 minutes
A three-part decision playbook
The playbook organizes CEO support into pre-framing, bringing proof, and making a specific ask. It clarifies the ask and its context, supports discussion with evidence and risk considerations, then closes with feedback, action, or a 1:3:1 decision proposal.
Slide text
Over the next 20 minutes I’m going to show you one of the playbooks I run to help my CEO keep his output high. What does the asker need? Why are we talking about it? Show, not tell Links and data Consider risks Feedback Action Decision: 1:3:1 Pre-frame Bring Proof Ask
Growth reaches $343,512 MRR
The business reports $4m ARR, while its MRR chart climbs from roughly $130k in 2018 to $343,512 in 2023. The steady rise has a sharper step-up around 2020, followed by slower growth near the end of the period.
Slide text
$4m ARR business
A framework for CEO decisions
The framework moves from pre-framing a request, through bringing proof, to asking for a decision. It prompts the chief of staff to clarify the task and its importance, show work and risks, then request feedback, action, or a decision among three options with one recommendation.
Slide text
Simplero’s Framework for How to Make Decisions Faster Without Sacrificing Quality
Let’s start with Pre-frame
Pre-frame the work together
Start by aligning on the help or decision needed and why the issue matters. The slide groups the conversation into feedback, help, and decision, then asks what the CEO requested and what could fail if the issue is left unresolved.
Slide text
Let’s start with Pre-frame Set both of you up for success Feedback Help Decision What did you ask me to handle? Where did this come from? Why are we talking about this? What fails if we don’t handle this? Pre-Frame Charge Why?
Bring concise, useful proof
Prepare evidence that lets the CEO understand what happened and how without rushing through it. The examples include documents, project management records, and video clips, alongside a clear account of risks, mitigation, and the level of detail needed.
Slide text
Let’s jump into Bring Proof Come prepared Who did what & how? Don’t rush Be concise Spreadsheets, Docs Project Mgmt system Video clips Ask how much he needs at this time Consider risks and mitigation strategies Show your work This Varies Strategize Show, don’t tell
3 Critical Tools We Rely On
Use tools for distinct needs
The team separates urgent communication, project management, and everything else into three tool categories. The examples pair Telegram with urgent messages, Linear with project tracking, and Simplero with the broader category.
Slide text
3 Critical Tools We Rely On: Project Management Everything else Urgent communication
And now onto Ask
Make a specific, actionable ask
Ask for exactly the feedback or action needed instead of leaving the CEO with a vague question. Make the request specific, route it to the right person, act promptly where possible, and present three options with one reasoned recommendation when a decision is needed.
Slide text
And now onto Ask What do I need from you now Specify exactly which points Never ‘so, what do you think’ Might have gotten it during Proof phase By you or someone you need to contact Be specific Do it now if possible Offer a 1:3:1 3 options 1 recommendation with reasons Feedback Action Decision
Apply the framework to meetings
The example applies the decision process to a proposal for changing a weekly meeting agenda. It lays out the problem, compares three options, explains the recommendation, and records the decision to keep the proposal and share it with the team.
Slide text
What this Looks Like in Real Life Feedback on a proposal to change a key meeting agenda
Show the reporting structure
The organization chart places the CEO at the top, with the chief of staff connected directly and six functional teams reporting below. Those groups cover marketing, sales, product and design, engineering, customer service, and administration or HR.
Slide text
Team Structure
Over the last 20 minutes
Recap the CEO support playbook
The recap returns to the same three stages: pre-frame, bring proof, and ask. It emphasizes clarifying what is needed and why, sharing evidence and risks, then securing feedback, action, or a 1:3:1 decision.
Slide text
Over the last 20 minutes I showed you the playbook I run to keep my CEO operating in his zone of genius. What do I need from him? Why are we talking about it? Show, not tell Links and data Consider risks Feedback Action Decision: 1:3:1 Pre-frame Bring Proof Ask
Thank the audience
The speaker closes by thanking the audience and identifying herself as Simplero's chief of staff. The slide includes contact details, which are left to the image rather than repeated here.
Slide text
Beth Barr-Jobson Chief of Staff, Simplero