089: Understanding the Value of COOs with Bill Shepard

Wingman. The No. 2. The Second-in-Command – all of these terms describe the Chief Operating Officer (COO). Yet, when Bill Shepard pivoted from a 25+ year tenure in the C-suite to independent consulting, he couldn’t find a supportive group of COOs. So he started his own. 15 years later, the COO Forum boasts 35 chapters and 18k members in their online group. In this episode, Bill describes the three areas that drive businesses forward, debunks myths about COOs, and defines the role COOs play in driving execution.

Special Guest: Bill Shepard, CEO – COO Forum

Location: San Francisco, CA USA

Air Date: March 22, 2020

Resources

COO eForum: “a private and confidential member network featuring: member profiles and contributions, extensive library of business information, calendar chapter meetings, industry forums, chat feature, and private chapter networks.”
COO Forum LinkedIn Group: an international LinkedIn group providing support and roundtable discussions for Operating CFOs, General Managers, Divisional Presidents, Operating CIOs, and Executive VPs.
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference: a book by Malcolm Gladwell
Riding Shotgun: The Role of the COO: a book by Nathan Bennett and Stephen A. Miles
Second in Command: The Misunderstood Role of the Chief Operating Officer: an article by Nathan Bennett and Stephen A. Miles featured in the Harvard Business Review.