Riding Shotgun - The Role of the COO

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Reviewed December 17, 2007

reviews

"The critical role of COO has received little of the attention it deserves. Bennett and Miles illuminate the potential and the perils of being number two. A must-read for anyone aspiring to make the leap, and for those who recruit, oversee, and coach them." — Michael Watkins, founding partner of Genesis Advisers and author of The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels


"The relationship between the CEO and COO is critical to the success of any company. This book gives a variety of perspectives on this leadership dynamic in a highly enjoyable read." — Bruce Chizen, CEO of Adobe Systems


"As organizations and corporate boards look to solve critical succession issues or strive to become more focused and efficient, they often think of creating or recasting the COO role within their respective organizations. Done correctly, the results can be magical; done incorrectly, and the fallout can be devastating for any organization. This book is the first of its kind and long over due. Riding Shotgun carefully lays out the questions that need to be answered and the critical success factors to ensure that the person who is going to assume the role is set up for success. Every Board Member, HR Executive, or CEO who is considering the COO role in their organization should read this book!" — Tom DiDonato, EVP Human Resources, American Eagle Outfitters Inc.


"Miles & Bennett tackle an important, and drastically under-researched area: the role, personalities, fit and success factors of COOs. We've seen several COOs who have been total winners, but it's striking how different the models of success can be depending on role, personal competencies, business situation/cycle/type, team strengths, and CEO strengths. The authors have done a very nice job of tying all of this together." — Jim Williams, Partner, Texas Pacific Group


"The lessons reported in this book will be very useful to Boards, Heads of Human Resources and CEOs as they consider succession planning and organizational design." — Dale Morrison, President & Chief Executive Officer, McCain Foods Limited


"The job of COO is becoming more important as companies and their boards look internally for succession alternatives. One question they face: Will the organization continue to run as the number 2 becomes the number 1? Riding Shotgun will help answer this and many more questions about the COO role in today's corporate structure." — John Berisford, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, The Pepsi Bottling Group


"The COO plays a critical leadership role in most businesses, but it's particularly true in the natural resources industry. Getting the right person on board and making sure that they are set up for success is critical. The information presented in this book is long overdue and will certainly help CEOs and Boards successfully design and implement the COO position." — Charles Goodyear, Chief Executive Officer of BHP Billiton


"With the recent emphasis on enterprise performance and CEO succession planning, this book is a must-read for board members and executives who want to drive leadership capability and ensure sustained performance in their companies." — Carlos Cardoso, Chief Executive, Kennametal Inc.


"Under a weak CEO, the job is nothing short of agony. Under a great CEO, the COO's job is the best in the world— grounded in execution and performance metrics." — Paula Rosput Reynolds, President and Chief Executive Officer, Safeco Corp.


"What makes for a successful relationship between the CEO and chief operating officer? Why do there seem to be so many examples where it just doesn't work as intended? Bennett and Miles offer well thought through perspectives on the factors which influence the success or failure of the chief operating officer role in today's corporation, supported by candid interviews with a number of well-known leaders. The result is a highly readable book which will help those considering creating such a role to go into it with their eyes wide open." — Lucien Alziari, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Avon Products, Inc.