From Finance to Strategy: How Andrea McAlister is Reinventing the Chief of Staff Role.

Andrea McAlister Is Transforming the Way We Look at Collaboration

If there is one word to describe Andrea McAlister, it’s purpose. The newly minted Chief of Staff of Plexus Worldwide has a no-nonsense approach to driving partnerships within the nutraceutical giant – something she refers to as transparent diplomacy. While the phrase may seem paradoxical on the surface, it embodies the core of McAlister’s philosophy. She approaches situations with curiosity, active listening, and a focus on negotiating toward a solution while layering in deep candor.

McAlister is on to something. Transparency has become a key issue in the workplace. According to PwC’s 2024 Trust Survey, 93% of business executives agree that building and maintaining trust improves the bottom line, with 94% indicating that they have faced at least one challenge when building trust with stakeholders. But only 60% of employees feel highly trusted by leadership.

McAlister thinks that the piece missing in businesses is twofold. First, companies must view their team as vital to the success of the business. That allows for reciprocal negotiation towards a goal. Second, the days of hierarchical information segmentation are over. Employees want to make informed decisions and be part of the process. This transparency of information builds trust and inclusion.

We sat down with McAlister to learn all about her new role and her vision for how it can shape Plexus Worldwide in the years to come.

First off, what exactly is a Chief of Staff?

The Chief of Staff means different things based on company, industry, and usage. And not every company needs one, although the function is growing in prominence. At Plexus, we have all these incredible teams with functional leadership, but they fall into the habit of operating independent of one another. The danger in having this type of segmentation is that the thread can get lost. For a company to thrive, it needs one vision and cohesive strategy that branches through the organization, with clear communication, collaboration, and accountability. At Plexus, my role as Chief of Staff is multi-faceted. I’m a seeker of truth, holding people to the company’s values and vision, a diplomat who navigates different perspectives and perceptions, and a strategist with my eye on the end goal.

What does a day in the life look like for you?

Every day is a new day! But seriously, every day is different. The role of Chief of Staff is nebulous by design, so that I can flow into situations where structure, cross-functionality and diplomacy are needed. I find myself in some of the most random conversations, but those are helpful, as they give me new insights, and a lens to view the work through. But, in the end, everything I do is about driving the strategy and vision of the company forward.

Collaboration is a word that ebbs and flows in the business world, with proponents who say that it is essential to success, and critics, who feel that it can complicate the process. What is your approach to collaboration?

Individual contribution and collaboration are at two ends of the spectrum, and a company needs both. It’s also important to recognize that people have different working styles, with some flourishing in the group dynamic and others feeling out of sync. For me, it’s about finding balance. Large meetings can feel cumbersome and bureaucratic, so my format of choice is the small modular group. In that environment, it’s easier to collaborate and articulate what success looks like. It’s also important to remember that not everyone is comfortable with decision making on the spot, so I find it helpful to share the discussion topics ahead of the conversation to encourage preparation.

Hundreds if not thousands of articles have been written about how Generation Z wants to be part of the solution. How do you balance consensus-building versus leadership decisions?

That’s a broad question and I’m going to answer it with what might feel like a non-answer: it’s case specific. While that may be difficult to hear, it’s also true. Leadership must look at the topic at hand and ask themselves who has enough context and experience to contribute to the discussion. Large deliverables can be broken down into smaller components, allowing more individual say in a global framework. One of the things that is most inspiring about the newer generations is their passion for contribution. We need to encourage that with respect and honesty, listening to them, and being candid that there are some decisions that leadership, based on their experience and holistic view, will make without consensus.

Speaking of generations, do you modify your approach based on whether you are working with a Xer, Millennial or Z?

A good negotiator always considers their audience. And while generalities can be applied to generational cohorts, I am more interested in the people. What motivates them, what inspires them, and what will make them love their work. There is this narrative that the generational divide is immense, but what generation has not felt that way? It is about helping each generation understand the next and those prior, bringing a sense of complementary unity to the group. The role of leadership is to allow each person the space to share their thoughts and to help them see the wisdom of experience, and the insight of fresh eyes.

What are your goals for the first year?

I may have said this several times already but have a unified strategic plan for Plexus that extends beyond three years. It provides a framework for employees to parse their work through and establishes continuity and builds trust. Part of that is the Quarterly Business Reviews to discuss strategic goals and progress. It’s incredibly valuable and rewarding to show people how they are contributing to the ongoing success of the company and that they are an fundamental part in making the vision manifest.

You come from a financial background. How does that inform your new role?

My background is in financial planning and analysis, which is, in its own way, an embodiment of transparent diplomacy. I worked with the business and served as the liaison between the business leaders and their impact on the financials. Part of my role was to educate the team on how each function affects the bottom line of the business. Chief of Staff is an expansion of this, working not just with financial decisions, but how overall action and strategy affect Plexus.

What advice do you have for people on this career path?

There are so many different starting points that can lead to Chief of Staff. It is essential to always build a foundation on a deep and dynamic understanding of the company and its goals. You need to fully comprehend what each component does and feel comfortable making difficult decisions. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it is one of the most rewarding roles you can have in a company.

It sounds like you have it all mapped out!

Not at all…and that’s what is so exciting. I have a reasonably clear vision of what we want to achieve long term, but part of being Chief of Staff is excelling in uncertainty until the whole solution emerges. What I know is that I love working with people and getting to know them, and I’m ready to bridge gaps, build dynamic partnerships, and be a catalyst for growth. It’s a wild and wonderful time.