How CEOs and COOs can work together without getting in each other's way

Executive overview

Hiring a COO changes everything — but old habits make CEOs hold on too long. The CEO's new job is strategy, observation, and energy, not execution. Without letting go, the COO can't function and the hire fails.

A COO only works if the CEO stops doing the COO's job.

Learning to let go

• Your role shifts from doing to enabling — results through people, not by you.
• Free time should go to strategy, skip-level conversations, and deep dives into the business.
• Slowing down to think can de-stress the whole organisation — one CEO cut 150 low-value projects and freed the team to focus on the critical few.
• Frame it as a gain: you've earned the right to focus on your strengths and passions.
• Define what your new job actually is — time with the board, industry observation, areas you lead best.

Avoiding seagull management

• Seagull management: swooping in, disrupting everything, then leaving without fixing it.
• If something frustrates you, pull the COO aside privately — don't intervene directly with the team.
• Ask questions; don't micromanage.
• Interfering undermines the COO's authority, even when that's not your intent.
• The CEO's job is to grow the COO's skills and confidence, not to outshine them.

Delegation and unique ability teams

• Unique ability: the work you're most passionate about and energised by — delegate everything else.
• Keep three to five business areas reporting to you; delegate the rest to the COO.
• Have the COO run an activity inventory with each key leader: list every task, rank as incompetent / competent / excellent / unique ability.
• Strip out incompetent and competent tasks first; redistribute excellent ones so leaders work only on unique ability.
• Hiring a COO who loves what you don't creates energy and fulfillment across the organisation.

Managing conflict

• Conflict between CEO and COO is natural — treat it like a long-term partnership, not a crisis.
• Focus on the specific issue: what went wrong, what you need, how you feel. Separate the person from the problem.
• Never argue in front of employees or the board — it sends negative ripples through the whole organisation.
• Don't send conflict to HR to resolve; HR's role is to coach you to solve it yourself.
• Trust built outside work — shared activities, personal connection — makes conflict survivable.

Avoiding ego at the top

• CEOs need confidence, not ego. Ego causes back-channeling, lost motivation, and turnover.
• Level five leadership (Jim Collins): personal humility combined with personal will.
• The COO must accept that the CEO gets most of the limelight — this is part of the role.
• The COO's job is to grow and shine the spotlight on VPs and directors, not to seek recognition.
• Sheryl Sandberg at Facebook is a rare case: she received public credit, which is why she stayed 15 years.

What COOs actually want

• Most COOs are not aiming for the CEO role — they find satisfaction in contribution and execution.
• Autonomy, fair pay, and increasing opportunities matter more than external recognition.
• The temperament is different: most prefer to work behind the scenes, like Roy Disney to Walt.