The Right Hand is an all-access pass to some of the most powerful halls of power. We chatted to media startup founder Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks on the influence of Veep, scoring interviews and the surprises of publishing her first book.
What was the initial spark that led you to develop an interest in the person standing behind the powerful person, the chief of staff?
I’ve always been obsessed with political shows like The West Wing and Veep, and the chief of staff was always my favourite character. To me, they’ve always had a mix of mystery, intrigue and brilliance. It wasn’t until I was working in Canberra that I encountered real chiefs of staff and got to see them in action.
The defining moment for me was when Katie Telford, Justin Trudeau’s long-time chief of staff, randomly started following Missing Perspectives, my digital media startup that platforms female storytelling worldwide. We ended up connecting, and hearing Katie speak so thoughtfully about her boss made me realise how unique the chief of staff role is and how there’s a whole world of leadership and humanity happening just out of view.
What was the process like coordinating, collating and writing this book, particularly as it relates to working with people who aren’t always inclined to be interviewed?
Surprisingly, the hit rate was nearly one hundred per cent and they really did embrace the book from the outset. The timing also helped as quite a few of the chiefs had recently stepped out of their roles (like Jacinda Ardern’s chief of staff, Raj Nahna), so it was one of the first times they could speak openly. I had expected these incredibly private people to be cautious and guarded, but they were unbelievably candid—and it was one of the most generous groups of interviewees I’ve ever worked with.
I’d also note that several of the female chiefs of staff in the book, particularly Trudeau’s chief of staff Katie Telford, are actively trying to increase visibility around the role and what it entails. Katie told me how she sees it as part of her responsibility to help boost female representation in a position that remains overwhelmingly male-dominated. They’re intentionally bucking the trend of the chief of staff being invisible.
I’ve always been obsessed with political shows like The West Wing and Veep, and the chief of staff was always my favourite character.
What surprised you about the book publishing process as a debut author?
I had originally started this project with the mindset that it would be a podcast, as that’s the medium I was comfortable with and used to with Missing Perspectives. So The Right Hand had started as a series of long, candid and very-human conversations with the intention of it being a podcast series. It wasn’t until a friend in publishing suggested it that I thought about it being a book.
Looking back, I think that the fact that the conversations were recorded in a podcast setting is one of the book’s strengths, and I think that’s why the book reads the way it does: very conversational and right there in the room with us. But it takes many people to get a book out into the world. I thought it was just a writer and an editor making a book! In reality it’s a whole squad including a copyediting team, audio engineers, marketing and publicists, and a lot of people who know far more about publishing than I do. Also, recording an audiobook is basically an Olympic sport and more difficult than you think!
What is one piece of advice or insight from these conversations that could be applied to people navigating workplaces outside the political realm?
Trust is the ultimate currency. Every successful chief stressed that they couldn’t do their job without it. Once trust is lost, that’s it. The conversations also reinforced something that I’d always believed—that leadership is very much a team sport. Behind every great leader is an incredible team helping to navigate from the wings. You don’t need to be the one at the podium and in the spotlight to have an impact.
What surprised you most about what the role of chief-of-staff actually entails?
I’d say two things: one, the sheer breadth of the job. For many, it involved being part-strategist, part-therapist, part-firefighter, part-parent (eg, reminding your boss to eat breakfast and not miss the personal training sessions). The other is how lonely and isolating the role can be when you’re so close to the top and to power. You carry the emotional weight of an entire office, and country—but you’re also the person who has to be the anchor in a storm and keep it all together.
You can pick up a copy of The Right Hand (Penguin Books Australia) at your local bookstore today.
Debut Spotlight is a partnership with Australian publishers to highlight the release of local books. All titles are selected by KYD and we retain editorial independence.
