How to define and hire the right COO for your business

Executive overview

Most CEOs hire a COO to plug an execution gap without first defining the shape of that gap. The right hire is the yin to your yang — complementary unique abilities, shared core values, and behavioral traits that mesh with yours.

Start by leaning out three years into the future. That clarity drives every hiring decision that follows.

Hire for what you can't or won't do, not for what a stereotypical CEO is supposed to delegate.

Define what you need before you search

• Audit your unique abilities (UAs) and identify where you are weakest or least motivated
• The COO's UAs should be the inverse of yours; shared core values are non-negotiable
• Consider which domains they'd own and which you'd keep — specify both in the job description
• Include behavioral traits, not just functional skills
• A few focused hours with your activity inventory is enough to define the profile

Lean into the future to sharpen the brief

• Imagine the company three years out: org chart, markets, capabilities needed
• Reverse-engineer the gaps between today and that vision
• Growth through acquisitions, new markets, or new functions each surface different needs
• Involve your leadership team — you don't need all the answers yourself

The yin-and-yang hiring principle

• If you're strong at strategy, hire for execution — and vice versa
• If culture is your weakness, delegate it entirely; it doesn't matter who drives it
• Any domain — legal, finance, engineering, culture — can be assigned to a COO
• Don't hire a clone of a "typical" CEO's COO; hire for your specific gaps
• Never assume a well-known operator fits your needs without checking the shape of the gap

Core values and behavioral traits

• Core values are make-or-break: you must be willing to fire someone who breaks them
• Cultural qualities are nice-to-have; core values are not negotiable
• Distinguish between the two before you write a job description
• Behavioral traits must complement yours — shy CEO may need a gregarious COO
• Like a marriage: once hired, you cannot change their personality, so get the match right upfront

The inverted org chart

• CEO and COO belong at the bottom of the org chart, not the top
• Their job is to remove obstacles and support the people above them in the chart
• Hierarchical command-and-control no longer works; servant leadership does

Running the process

• Sources: word of mouth, job listings, executive search firms
• You don't need to conduct interviews yourself — use your board, advisors, or leadership team
• A bad fit is worse than a vacancy; treat this with the same stakes as hiring a co-founder