Chief of Staff vs. Chief Operating Officer
In business, the roles of Chief of Staff (CoS) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) are often confused and misunderstood. Both positions can be highly operational and report directly to the business leader, typically the CEO or President. While there may be crossover in their core responsibilities, other differences are more nuanced. These nuances help explain why experience as a Chief of Staff can be a great training ground for other roles in executive operations, such as COO.
So, how do we distinguish a Chief of Staff from a COO? Simply put, a CoS supports the leader, while a COO supports the company. Let's explore the key distinctions between these two critical leadership roles.
A CoS’s work is on behalf of the leader.
A COO’s work is on behalf of the company.
A CoS leads, organizes, and prioritizes the LEADER'S business initiatives.
A COO has their OWN scorecard and deliverables.
A CoS (and EA) exist to support the leader.
A COO exists to support the health of the business.
A CoS oversees their leader's back office and executive team operations.
A COO oversees company operations.
What are the typical responsibilities of a Chief of Staff? Generally, a CoS will facilitate and ensure the following:
Leader's rhythm of business and business planning
Leader's events, all hands, and communications
The leader's key initiatives
The preparedness of the leader, how the leader shows up
Executive team transparency, communication, collaboration, efficiency
Fills gaps outside of directly supporting the leader and their back office
On the other hand, the COO is directly responsible for managing or overseeing the following:
Day-to-day operations of the company
New technology and platforms
Supply chain and product flow
Efficiency and process
Ops support for employees, finance, sales, etc. as needed
Solving problems to drive overall company health
When there’s no CoS, the COO also helps with the above CoS list.
In reality, these two roles are complex to describe, and the exact duties will depend on the company type, stage, and size. Of course, both report to the company leader, and both roles fill gaps essential to running the business, which is one reason why a Chief of Staff role can be a springboard to the COO role. The main takeaway is that a CoS focuses on enhancing the leader's effectiveness, whereas a COO is dedicated to the overall health and efficiency of the organization.
Are you interested in pursuing a Chief of Staff role? If so, check out Nova’s syllabus to see if our Chief of Staff certification course is right for you!