CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Set the foundation for your COO journey by understanding how this course is designed to mirror real operational leadership. Explore the intersection of AI, life sciences, and modern operations, and align your expectations with what it truly takes to operate at the executive level.

• Instructor introduction
• AI, life sciences, & operational leadership
• Course structure, agenda, & expectations
• Discussion: Why are you taking this course?
• Q&A

Understand the reality of the COO role beyond the title. Break down how COOs operate across different company stages, how they partner with CEOs, and where their influence truly sits. Identify the type of operator you are, while building a clear, practical understanding of how the role shifts across contexts.

• The four COO archetypes
• The four COO leadership styles
• CEO–COO partnership dynamics
• COO vs. Chief of Staff
• Startup vs. mid-size vs. large enterprise
• Workshop: COO job description teardown and AI analysis

Assignment #1:
Analyze a COO job posting in your target industry. Identify the COO archetype, implied CEO relationship, and assess whether the role aligns with your career goals.

Learn how to translate vision into execution with precision. Move beyond theory and develop the operational discipline required to turn strategy into clear priorities, actionable plans, and measurable outcomes. Build the judgment to decide what matters most, while aligning execution tightly with company direction.

• Vision-to-strategy-to-execution gap
• Strategic planning and target operating model
• SWOT
• OKRs in practice
• Workshop: Build a strategic map

Assignment #2:
Develop a set of OKRs aligned to a strategic map, including key priorities and a defined “kill list” of what not to pursue.

Master the art of making high-stakes decisions with speed and clarity. Learn when to rely on instinct, when to slow down, and how to apply structured frameworks to cut through ambiguity. Build the judgment to decide what to own, what to delegate, and how to lead confidently when information is incomplete and the clock is working against you.

• Decision ownership and escalation
• Fast vs. slow thinking in operations
• Urgent vs. important matrix
• Decision matrices and weighted scoring
• Case Study: In what ways can Decision Analysis be applied to crisis management and emergency response strategies within an organization?
• Workshop: Decision tree and matrix under time pressure

Learn how to lead a transformation that actually sticks. Move beyond theory and understand how to drive change across people, processes, and technology using structured frameworks and disciplined execution. Build the capability to lead large-scale initiatives, align teams, and ensure transformation delivers measurable results.

• COO as chief transformation officer
• Types of transformation programs
• T-map (Transformation Map) tool
• Kotter's 8 steps
• Transformation management office (TMO)
• Case Study: AI as prime example of enterprise change

Assignment #3:
Design an enterprise AI rollout using Kotter’s 8 steps, outlining actions required to drive adoption and long-term success.

Learn to see the business as a complete system. Build the ability to map processes end-to-end, uncover inefficiencies, and identify where value is lost. Connect visibility to accountability by linking processes to ownership, KPIs, and measurable outcomes that drive operational performance.

• End-to-end process visibility
• Value chain and process mapping
• Demo: Process mapping in Lucidchart
• Identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies
• Connecting process maps to KPIs
• Workshop: Build and analyze a process map

Design systems that scale without constant intervention. Understand how to move from fragmented processes to integrated systems that drive consistency, efficiency, and growth. Learn how to leverage enterprise tools, governance, and AI to reduce dependency on individuals and create operations that run predictably at scale.

• Process vs. system design
• Systems that scale vs. systems that break
• Enterprise systems overview
• AI-driven system automation
• The COO's governance role
• Case Study: Amazon’s AI-driven supply chain transformation and AI-powered innovations to get packages to customers faster

Assignment #4:
Analyze an AI-driven system automation example and propose a new enterprise-wide automation concept.

Learn how to scale operations without creating chaos. Understand how team structures, delegation, and resourcing must evolve as complexity grows. Build the ability to expand capacity while maintaining clarity, performance, and resilience — without burning out your people or breaking your systems.

• The scaling paradox
• Workload mapping and capacity gaps
• 4B’s approach
• Delegation models
• Case Study: Lessons learned from Stripe’s first COO, Claire Hughes Johnson

Assignment #5:
Create RACI and DACI frameworks for a current or hypothetical program and compare their effectiveness.

Develop the discipline to anticipate, manage, and respond to operational risk. Learn how to build resilience into your organization through structured risk assessment, mitigation planning, and crisis response. Strengthen your ability to lead through uncertainty while protecting business continuity.

• Risk frameworks and taxonomy
• Risk 101
• Risks vs. issues
• Compliance vs. standards frameworks
• Case Study: The story of Boeing's failed corporate culture
• Workshop: Crisis response playbook

Build the financial fluency required to operate at the executive level. Learn how to interpret financial statements, manage budgets, and understand how operational decisions impact profitability and cash flow. Develop the ability to balance financial discipline with execution needs in real-world scenarios.

• Finance 101
• Balance sheet basics
• Cash flow and operational impact
• Unit economics across models
• Forecasting methods
• Budget vs. actuals
• Workshop (Part 1): Budget trade-off sprint

Turn strategy and budgets into execution through clear performance systems. Learn how to design KPIs, build dashboards, and align resources to priorities. Develop the ability to make informed trade-offs and ensure teams are focused on what truly drives results.

• KPI design and OKR alignment
• Leading vs. lagging indicator
• Dashboard design principles
• AI for performance insights
• Resource and workforce planning
• Workshop (Part 2): Execution plan sprint

Assignment #6:
Deliver a 90-day COO recommendation based on budget, KPIs, and resource trade-offs.

Learn how to evaluate investments and control costs without compromising performance. Build the ability to prioritize initiatives based on impact, manage vendor risk, and apply financial discipline across operations. Understand how to reduce costs strategically while preserving long-term value.

• ROI evaluation across investments
• Prioritization frameworks
• Post-project retrospectives
• Vendor and partner risk
• Cost reduction that preserves culture
• Emergency budget reserves and buffer planning

Lead execution across teams without direct authority. Learn how to create alignment through structured rituals, governance, and communication. Build systems that enable teams to work together effectively, resolve conflict, and maintain momentum without constant intervention.

• Cross-functional leadership
• Governance and accountability systems
• Coordination and alignment rituals
• Leadership team meeting management
• Workshop: Delivering an excellent C-suite off-site F2F retreat

Develop the leadership presence required to influence at the highest level. Learn how to build trust, communicate effectively, and lead through both authority and influence. Strengthen your ability to coach others, deliver feedback, and create a culture of continuous improvement.

• Executive presence in practice
• Leading with and without authority
• Transparency and confidentiality
• Feedback and feedforward models
• GROW framework
• Workshop: Co-coaching practice leveraging GROW framework

Understand how culture is built, sustained, and transformed through operations. Learn how to diagnose cultural strengths and risks, and take targeted action to shape behaviors at scale. Build the capability to influence culture during growth, change, and integration. n.

• What is Culture?
• Culture diagnostics
• Addressing toxic behaviors
• Culture transformation strategies
• Post-merger integration culture
• Case Study: ‘Pfizer’s acquisition of Wyeth’

Assignment #7:
Conduct a culture diagnostic and define one operational change to strengthen or shift culture.

Apply everything you’ve learned in a high-pressure simulation. Step into the COO role and lead a turnaround strategy under real constraints. Make decisions quickly, align your team, and defend your approach to stakeholders in a realistic executive environment.

• War Room #1: A mid-size company is in serious trouble. The board has given the new COO 90 days to turn it around or face restructuring. In teams, build a turnaround strategy

Tackle the complexity of rapid growth in a live simulation. Diagnose operational breakdowns, prioritize what to fix, and build a scalable plan under pressure. Use AI to stress-test your decisions and refine your approach in real time.

• War Room #2: A high-growth tech company has expanded into 3 international markets in 18 months. Revenue doubled. Headcount tripled. But systems are cracking. In teams, build a 90-day scaling plan

Assignment #8:
Refine your 90-day scaling plan individually in preparation for the final project.

Communicate with clarity and authority at the executive level. Learn how to engage CEOs and boards, present insights that drive decisions, and build credibility through structured, high-impact communication. Develop the ability to navigate difficult conversations with confidence.

• Board-level communication priorities
• CEO communication dynamics
• Executive presence in reporting
• COO memo structure
• Difficult conversations management
• Workshop: Creating a COO memo

Build a modern operational tech stack that drives efficiency and visibility. Learn how to leverage automation, AI, and digital tools to enhance decision-making and execution. Develop a clear strategy for integrating technology into operations without losing control or governance.

• COO tech stack fundamentals
• AI-first operations strategy
• Automation and workflow tools
• Data visualization and dashboards
• Governance and security considerations
• Demo: Use of Manus as a powerful AI-driven dashboard visualization tool and website creator

Assignment #9:
Design your own COO tech stack, outlining tools, use cases, and expected outcomes.

Assignment #10 (Optional):
Practice using Manus as a powerful AI-driven tool. Create a live, interactive dashboard. Watch Manus create your dashboard in real-time. Play around with it. Edit and adapt.

Define your path to the COO role with clarity and intention. Learn how to assess your current position, identify skill gaps, and build a development plan grounded in real career trajectories. Position yourself as a credible operator through experience, exposure, and personal branding.

• COO career experiences and paths
• Skills assessment and gap analysis
• 3Es approach to personal development
• Networking
• Personal branding strategies
• Case Study: David Auerbach's career path

Assignment #11:
Create a personal development plan, including career path, skill gaps, and a 30-second professional pitch.

Consolidate your learning and prepare to step into the COO role. Reflect on key insights, clarify remaining questions, and align on next steps. Leave the course with momentum, a clear action plan, and the confidence to apply what you’ve learned in real-world scenarios.

• Course synthesis and key takeaways
• Final project guidance
• Post-course action planning
• Class Discussion: What is your top learning from this course?
• Feedback
• Q&A

Final Project: The 90-Day COO Action Plan
Step into the COO role and build a practical 90-Day COO Action Plan for either your current organization or a fictional mid-sized company facing growth and internal friction.