What is a COO actually for, and why do so many CEOs never figure it out?
In this solo episode, Cameron Herold tackles a question most CEOs never answer clearly: What is the point of a COO? Working through Chapter 2 of his book Second in Command, he makes the case that there is no single template. The right COO is the one who fits the CEO.
Cameron breaks down the traits that set strong seconds-in-command apart. Inward versus outward-facing roles. Translating between departments without being the expert. Finding shortcuts and building systems, the worst employee on the worst day can still run. He shares hard-won lessons from his years as COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK, including the blowup that spread bad energy through the company for a month.
Get the fit wrong, and you get a swamped firefighter. Get it right, and you get real leverage. Listen now.
Timestamped Highlights
- [00:36] – Why there’s no single template for a great COO, only fit
- [02:16] – Inward or outward facing: which COO does your CEO actually need
- [04:52] – The role a COO almost always plays, even when nobody sees them
- [06:05] – Why being a chameleon beats being the smartest expert in the room
- [08:29] – Empowerment over rescue: the parenting rule that reframes the job
- [10:36] – The department feud Cameron refereed without taking over the work
- [11:29] – The burned-out Starbucks sign that exposes a leadership question
- [13:07] – The currency bet that saved $100,000 a year for every penny
- [14:13] – The Buffalo snowstorm test for whether a system truly works
- [15:20] – Strategy or tactics: the Sun Tzu line every COO should sit with
- [19:07] – The blowup that spread bad energy through the company for a month
- [19:50] – Why the best COO might be 27, not 57
Mentioned Resources
- Free PR by Cameron Herold and Adrian Salamunovic
- The E-Myth by Michael Gerber
- Good to Great by Jim Collins
- The Art of War by Sun Tzu
- Shopify (Harley Finkelstein, Tobias Lütke)
- 1-800-GOT-JUNK and O2E Brands (Erik Church)
- Apple (Steve Jobs)
- Tesla (Elon Musk)
- Ben & Jerry’s (Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield)
- Starbucks (Greg Johnson)
- Dell (Michael Dell)
- Meta (Facebook) (Sheryl Sandberg)
Important Links
- Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
- Claim your FREE copy: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
- Explore the COO Alliance – The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
- Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command, Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
- Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
- Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi
The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
