The Chief Operations Officer (COO) is the top executive responsible for overseeing and optimizing the day-to-day operations and processes of a company to ensure efficiency and productivity.
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While many people are familiar with other high-level business executive titles, they are lost on the definition of a chief operations officer. The chief operations officer’s definition involves a high-ranking executive in a business or other organization.
In general, the chief operations officer is considered a business executive. Someone in the role of a chief operations officer may also be known as a chief operating officer. Like a chief executive officer who’s referred to as a CEO, people refer to a chief operations officer as a COO. Chief operations officers are referred to as C-level executives or C-suite executives, with the C standing for “chief.”
Most people are unaware of the role that a chief operations officer plays in a company. Familiarizing yourself with the typical duties and responsibilities of a chief operations officer can help you understand whether you truly need this role to exist in your own business. Chief operating officers are typically hired to:
The key to having a great COO that helps a business function is the relationship between the CEO and COO. Both parties must work well together and maintain a high level of trust. Although the role of a chief operations officer seems general, having a great chief operations officer can help a business soar.
Enlisting the assistance of the right chief operations officer has its benefits for many businesses, especially those that are operations intensive. A CEO essentially hires a COO to act in a role similar to that of a vice president. This means that the CEO has a lesser burden of responsibility. Chief operations officer advantages do not stop there. A chief operations officer benefits a company by providing flexibility. In other words, a COO is an executive that can wear multiple hats and stand-in for other business executives when necessary to keep the company operating smoothly.
Chief operations officers play an integral role in the success of a business. But there are other C-level executives in most companies, including:
Not every company needs an entire board of C-suite executives. In the case of a small business, you are more likely to have just a CEO to begin your business. However, adding these key players can be essential for the expansion and long-term success of a business.
The definition of a chief operations officer (COO) is a C-level executive of a business or organization. The COO plays the role of vice president to the CEO and oversees all business operations.
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Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 700,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
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