When millions of readers and top experts agree on a selection of books, you know you're looking at truly valuable resources. The role of a Chief Operating Officer (COO) has never been more critical as organizations navigate complex operational challenges and rapid technological change. These widely-read books offer proven frameworks that have guided many COOs to success, emphasizing practical strategies and leadership skills essential in today's business landscape.
Experts like Joe Polish, founder and advocate for addiction recovery, have praised Cameron Herold's The Second in Command as a roadmap for founders seeking to scale efficiently. Jayson Gaignard, co-founder of MMT, recognized the book as a must-read for elevating company operations. Meanwhile, Verne Harnish, founder of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, endorses these works for their practical impact on leadership dynamics. Their insights reflect a convergence of expert opinion and broad reader validation.
While these popular books provide proven frameworks, readers seeking content tailored to their specific COO needs might consider creating a personalized COO book that combines these validated approaches. Personalized books can integrate your background, skill level, and goals with proven strategies, offering a bespoke path to operational mastery.
Joe Polish, founder and addiction recovery advocate, highlights how this book aligns perfectly with the challenges founders face when scaling. He shares, "If you want to multiply your success and make your vision a reality, I cannot recommend this book highly enough." Polish credits Herold's proven roadmap for helping CEOs solve their biggest frustrations and multiply growth. This recommendation echoes with many who have experienced the book’s practical approach to hiring and leveraging a COO. Alongside him, Jayson Gaignard acknowledges the book's value, admitting he realized he had been "NEEDING THIS BOOK" to take his company from good to great.
“If you want to multiply your success and make your vision a reality, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. This book is a roadmap for founders and CEOs to find a solution to what plagues them the most and causes endless frustration. This is advice and a proven formula. Cameron Herold is probably the most qualified person in the world to guide you on what to do, as he has guided countless others to do the same.”
Cameron Herold is 'the COO Whisperer.' He is founder of the COO Alliance and the Second in Command podcast. By age thirty-five, Cameron had helped build his first two $100 million companies. By forty-two, he had engineered 1-800-GOT-JUNK?'s spectacular growth from $2 million to $106 million in revenue in just six years. An in-demand speaker, best-selling author, mentor, and coach, he has shown hundreds of clients globally how to double both their revenue and profit in three years or less. He is the top-rated lecturer at EO/MIT's Entrepreneurial Masters Program and a powerful speaker at entrepreneur and leadership events online and in-person globally.
Drawing from his extensive experience growing 1-800-GOT-JUNK? from $2 million to $106 million in six years, Cameron Herold offers a detailed playbook for founders ready to hire a COO to scale their companies. You learn how to identify the right COO candidate, understand the different COO types and their roles, and onboard them smoothly to avoid disruption. Herold also explores how a COO forum can accelerate a COO's growth in skills and confidence. This book suits founders and CEOs who feel stretched thin and want a practical framework to build the company they can’t grow alone.
Jennifer Geary is a seasoned COO with over 25 years of experience spanning finance, technology, risk, and legal domains. Her extensive career includes leadership roles at Barclays and Save the Children UK, where she managed complex operations and sustainability initiatives. Drawing on this rich background, she wrote this book to provide a clear, practical framework for the COO role—a position often lacking formal guidance. Her expertise equips you with insights to navigate the diverse challenges COOs face, making this a valuable resource for anyone seeking to master executive operations.
Jennifer Geary is a COO with over 25 years of experience in Finance, Technology, Risk and Legal, across diverse industries from financial services to not-for-profit. After gaining a B.Comm and Masters of Accounting at University College Dublin, she trained as a Chartered Accountant with a global accounting firm in Dublin. She subsequently moved to New York to deliver risk-based consultancy for financial services clients. In 2002, she came to London, where she spent 13 years in Barclays plc, initially in Investment Banking, followed by Wealth Management and finally as Chief of Staff to the Group General Counsel. Having long held an interest in corporate social responsibility and sustainability, at that point, she seized an opportunity to serve as Chief Operating Officer of Save the Children UK, a £400m NGO which serves in 68 countries and helps 22 million children every year. Since then, she has worked as a COO and CRO in fintech and financial services software, as well as publishing several successful business books covering C-suite roles. Jennifer is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, PRINCE 2 foundation and practitioner certified, and has attained the CISA and CISSP accreditations and completed a course in Sustainable Finance and ESG Investing from NYU Stern. When not working or writing, she can be found falling off a surfboard, finding her zen through yoga, running, swimming, or hanging out with her family. Jennifer lives in London with her husband and two children.
Jennifer Geary draws from over 25 years of experience across finance, technology, risk, and legal sectors to unpack the multifaceted role of a Chief Operating Officer. This book breaks down the COO position into 16 core disciplines, including culture, strategy, and change management, alongside technical areas like risk and legal oversight. You’ll gain a clear framework for diagnosing challenges, asking the right questions, and enhancing organizational performance, all illustrated with real-life examples and industry standards. If you’re stepping into a COO role or supporting one, this provides a structured guide through a complex executive landscape.
This AI-created book on operational leadership is crafted based on your unique leadership background and challenges. You share your specific COO interests, experience level, and goals, and the book brings together proven insights tailored exactly to what you want to focus on. This personalized approach ensures you learn the most relevant lessons and practical methods to overcome your operational challenges and grow your leadership impact.
TailoredRead AI creates personalized nonfiction books that adapt to your unique background, goals, and interests. Instead of reading generic content, you get a custom book written specifically for your profession, experience level, and learning objectives. Whether you're a beginner looking for fundamentals or an expert seeking advanced insights, TailoredRead crafts a book that speaks directly to you. Learn more.
2025·50-300 pages·COO, Operational Leadership, Team Management, Decision Making, Process Optimization
This tailored book explores battle-tested approaches to operational leadership, focusing on real-world COO challenges and solutions. It examines key leadership principles, efficient operations management, and decision-making techniques that align with your background and goals. By offering a deeply personalized perspective, the book emphasizes insights drawn from widely validated practices, blending them with your unique interests to create a tailored learning experience. It reveals how to navigate common obstacles and optimize leadership impact, ensuring content matches your specific operational context and leadership style.
Nathan Bennett is Associate Dean for Faculty and Research and Professor in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. He advises the COO Circle, a group of Chief Operating Officers from the world's largest companies, and brings extensive experience consulting on top management team performance and innovation. His academic rigor and real-world insights form the backbone of this book, providing a rare, authoritative look at the COO's evolving role and the challenges faced in today’s complex corporate landscape.
Nathan Bennett is Associate Dean for Faculty and Research and Professor in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. He has won numerous awards for his teaching and is the academic advisor to the COO Circle, a group of Chief Operating Officers from the world's largest companies. Bennett has an active practice as a consultant on issues related to top management team performance, innovation, and change management. He is also a coach to early career executives. His recently released book, Shannon's Gift, is based on the blog he started after his wife’s unexpected death. He resides in Marietta, Georgia, with his second wife, Linda.
What if everything you knew about the COO role was incomplete? Nathan Bennett and Stephen Miles challenge common perceptions by mapping the complex terrain COOs navigate daily. You learn a practical framework detailing the COO's responsibilities, the strategic reasons companies appoint them, and the hurdles they face, all enriched by candid interviews with executives from major corporations. Chapters dissect topics like executive alignment, leadership balance, and succession preparation. If you aim to understand how COOs drive organizational success or aspire to this pivotal role, this book offers grounded insights without fluff.
Chris Bull is an international lawyer, general counsel, and law firm COO with extensive experience leading transformational change in the legal sector. Holding an LLB (Hons) from the University of Glasgow and having worked across multiple countries, he combines practical leadership with deep legal expertise. His recognized thought leadership and keynote speaking engagements inform this book, which addresses the growing importance of the COO role in law firms and offers guidance for managing change, innovation, and operational challenges in the sector.
by Chris Bull, Patrick J McKenna, Alastair Mitchell, Rod Harrington, Sherry Gini·
About the Author
Chris Bull is an international lawyer, general counsel, and law firm COO with extensive experience leading transformational change in the legal sector. He holds an LLB (Hons) from the University of Glasgow and has worked in various countries. Chris is a recognized keynote speaker and thought leader on leading through change.
Chris Bull and his co-authors explore the evolving role of the Chief Operating Officer within law firms, highlighting how this position has expanded beyond the largest firms into mid-tier and alternative legal services. You’ll gain insight into practical aspects such as innovation enablement, managing profitability, client engagement, and leveraging data to drive firm performance, all supported by firsthand accounts from current legal COOs. The book also addresses adapting to post-pandemic hybrid work models and talent retention strategies, making it a useful guide if you’re involved in law firm management or aspiring to a COO role in legal services.
Jeroen Erné has built a notable career in IT and entrepreneurship, starting with launching his first music platform at age 14 and founding multiple successful startups acquired by leading companies. His deep understanding of tech trends and human needs informs this book, which goes beyond AI theory to deliver practical guidance tailored specifically for COOs. As CEO and founder of Nexibeo, Jeroen focuses on implementing AI solutions that yield measurable business benefits, making this handbook a valuable resource for anyone looking to harness AI to enhance operational leadership.
Jeroen Erné has established a significant presence in the IT and Internet sectors. From his teenage years, he displayed a natural entrepreneurial spirit, launching his first music platform at the tender age of 14. His entrepreneurial achievements began with the founding of Joy Group, which was later sold to his business partner in 2012. As he progressed through his distinguished career, Jeroen was key in creating numerous successful web platforms for a range of clients. This includes the creation of startups like SimplySocial, acquired by Matchfire in 2015, Nexibeo, and finally CoinCheckup, which was snapped up by CoinCodex in 2021. Central to Jeroen's professional journey is his profound ability to empathize with and anticipate the needs of people. His contributions to the field of Artificial Intelligence are encapsulated in his critically acclaimed series, 'The Artificial Intelligence Handbook'. Rather than simply delving into AI concepts, Jeroen's work offers actionable insights on its practical application across various job roles. He consistently underscores the significance of staying updated, maximizing productivity, and future-proofing one's career. In his current role, Jeroen is the visionary CEO and Founder of Nexibeo. This enterprise is not just about incorporating AI into businesses but ensuring that the integration yields measurable benefits. Nexibeo is unwavering in its commitment to guaranteeing a full return on investment for every AI solution it rolls out. Jeroen Erné combines curiosity, tech knowledge, and entrepreneurial passion. His journey shows what's possible when strong enthusiasm meets purposeful action.
What if everything you knew about the COO role was reshaped by AI? Jeroen Erné, drawing from his extensive entrepreneurial and tech background, explores how AI tools like ChatGPT can transform your daily operations. You’ll find over 1000 tailored prompts that help automate routine tasks, freeing you to concentrate on strategic priorities such as performance analysis and risk management. Chapters dive into concrete applications—from budgeting to vendor management—giving you a clear grasp of AI’s practical benefits. This book is ideal if you want to future-proof your COO skills and streamline workflows without getting lost in technical jargon.
This AI-created book on COO acceleration is crafted based on your background and the specific challenges you face in your role. By sharing your experience level and the COO skills you want to sharpen, you receive a book focused precisely on your priorities. Personalizing content like this means you can dive directly into the areas that matter most for fast, practical growth without sifting through unnecessary material.
TailoredRead AI creates personalized nonfiction books that adapt to your unique background, goals, and interests. Instead of reading generic content, you get a custom book written specifically for your profession, experience level, and learning objectives. Whether you're a beginner looking for fundamentals or an expert seeking advanced insights, TailoredRead crafts a book that speaks directly to you. Learn more.
2025·50-300 pages·COO, Operational Leadership, Decision Making, Team Alignment, Performance Metrics
This tailored book offers a dynamic exploration of the core responsibilities and skills essential for Chief Operating Officers aiming to accelerate their impact within 30 days. It combines proven, reader-validated knowledge with a personalized focus on your unique background and goals. The content covers operational leadership, decision-making, team alignment, and rapid problem-solving, all tailored to match your interests and experience level. By integrating insights that millions of COOs have found valuable, this book facilitates an efficient learning journey that targets your specific objectives, helping you fast-track your development with focused, actionable steps. Expect a tailored experience that transforms complex COO challenges into manageable, personalized growth opportunities.
Jennifer Geary brings over 25 years of diverse COO experience across finance, technology, and nonprofit sectors to this insightful examination of AI’s role in executive leadership. Her background spans global accounting, risk consultancy, and leadership at Save the Children UK, providing a rich foundation for understanding operational complexities. Jennifer’s expertise informs a practical guide co-created with AI, aimed at helping COOs and C-suite leaders adapt to the rapidly changing AI landscape. This book reflects her commitment to sustainable, responsible leadership in the digital age.
Jennifer Geary is a COO with over 25 years of experience in Finance, Technology, Risk and Legal, across diverse industries from financial services to not-for-profit. After gaining a B.Comm and Masters of Accounting at University College Dublin, she trained as a Chartered Accountant with a global accounting firm in Dublin. She subsequently moved to New York to deliver risk-based consultancy for financial services clients. In 2002, she came to London, where she spent 13 years in Barclays plc, initially in Investment Banking, followed by Wealth Management and finally as Chief of Staff to the Group General Counsel. Having long held an interest in corporate social responsibility and sustainability, at that point, she seized an opportunity to serve as Chief Operating Officer of Save the Children UK, a £400m NGO which serves in 68 countries and helps 22 million children every year. Since then, she has worked as a COO and CRO in fintech and financial services software, as well as publishing several successful business books covering C-suite roles. Jennifer is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, PRINCE 2 foundation and practitioner certified, and has attained the CISA and CISSP accreditations and completed a course in Sustainable Finance and ESG Investing from NYU Stern. When not working or writing, she can be found falling off a surfboard, finding her zen through yoga, running, swimming, or hanging out with her family. Jennifer lives in London with her husband and two children.
What started as Jennifer Geary's firsthand experience navigating complex executive roles across finance, technology, and nonprofit sectors became a thoughtful inquiry into how AI reshapes the COO function. This book offers you a detailed exploration of sixteen key disciplines, from culture to strategy and execution, through the unique lens of AI's evolving influence. You’ll gain insights on integrating AI into leadership decisions, operational workflows, and ethical considerations, grounded in Geary’s extensive background and co-creation with ChatGPT. If you lead operations or aspire to understand AI's practical impact on executive roles, this concise guide distills relevant challenges and adaptations without fluff.
Rachel Lebowitz is a recognized authority on the dynamics between Chief Operating Officers and Visionary leaders. With extensive experience in organizational leadership, she provides insights that empower second-in-commands to overcome challenges such as burnout and self-doubt. Her work focuses on enhancing communication and establishing effective boundaries within organizations, making her a sought-after speaker and consultant in the field. This background uniquely qualifies her to guide you through reclaiming your balance and confidence as a vital organizational Integrator.
Rachel Lebowitz is a recognized authority on the dynamics between Chief Operating Officers and Visionary leaders. With extensive experience in organizational leadership, she provides insights that empower second-in-commands to overcome challenges such as burnout and self-doubt. Her work focuses on enhancing communication and establishing effective boundaries within organizations, making her a sought-after speaker and consultant in the field.
Rachel Lebowitz leverages her extensive experience in organizational leadership to address the unique challenges faced by Chief Operating Officers acting as second-in-commands. This book explores the intricate psychology between Visionaries and Integrators, revealing how misunderstandings can fuel burnout and resentment. You'll find practical guidance on setting clear boundaries, prioritizing effectively, and improving communication with your Visionary counterpart, including a detailed explanation of the law of inverse attraction within leadership pairs. If you’re striving to regain your professional confidence and balance your demanding role, this book offers thoughtful insights tailored specifically to your position.
This collection of seven COO books underscores a trio of themes: the importance of mastering core disciplines, the evolving role of COOs amidst technological advancements, and the critical need for personal empowerment to avoid burnout. If you prefer tried-and-true methods, start with How to be a Chief Operating Officer for a comprehensive foundation. For validated, practical scaling strategies, The Second in Command and Riding Shotgun provide actionable insights.
Those immersed in specialized fields, like legal operations, will find Rise of the Legal COO particularly relevant, while AI-focused leaders can benefit from The Artificial Intelligence handbook for COOs and The Augmented COO. For COOs seeking balance and psychological resilience, Empowered COO offers thoughtful guidance.
Alternatively, you can create a personalized COO book to combine proven methods with your unique needs. These widely-adopted approaches have helped many readers succeed, and crafting your own tailored guide ensures you harness the best strategies suited to your leadership journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm overwhelmed by choice – which book should I start with?
Start with How to be a Chief Operating Officer for a solid foundation in COO disciplines. It covers essential skills and leadership strategies that set the stage for deeper dives into the role.
Are these books too advanced for someone new to COO?
No, several books, like The Second in Command, offer practical guidance suitable for newcomers, while others provide deeper insights for experienced leaders. You can pick based on your current experience.
What’s the best order to read these books?
Begin with foundational titles like How to be a Chief Operating Officer, then explore scaling and role-specific books such as The Second in Command and Rise of the Legal COO, followed by AI-focused works for future-ready skills.
Do I really need to read all of these, or can I just pick one?
You can start with one that matches your immediate needs. For example, founders benefit from The Second in Command, while COOs facing burnout might prefer Empowered COO. Each offers targeted value.
How do I know if a book is actually worth my time?
These books are endorsed by industry leaders like Joe Polish and Verne Harnish, who have applied their lessons in real-world scenarios. Their recommendations signal practical impact and reader approval.
Can personalized COO books complement these expert picks?
Yes! While expert books provide proven strategies, personalized COO books tailor insights to your unique background and goals, helping you apply expert wisdom more effectively. Learn more here.
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