As a business grows, there's almost like these laws of physics where things get slower and bureaucracy tends to creep in. I absolutely think that keeping 20 people are lined around what you want to do is easier than getting two thousand people. But having two thousand people in a room to make a decision is not a practical way of running the business. And i don't think it's impossible to have a fast moving, large company. The trick is helping people understand that not everyone in the org is either going to understand or be involved in every decision they once were.
Our guest is Sara Clemens, most recently COO of Twitch and former COO of Pandora.
In this interview, we explore the nuances of the COO role, which can vary drastically across different companies. We cover:
- The three main COO archetypes and which sorts of folks are best suited for those roles.
- The tactical elements of being a COO, including Sara’s advice for what good strategy actually looks like, and how to truly create a no-blame culture.
- Sara’s lessons on keeping pace as a company doubles in size, including her tips on sketching out “decision rights.”
- Guidance for CEOs considering bringing on a COO to the executive suite.
You can follow Sara on Twitter at @ClemensSara
You can email us questions directly at review@firstround.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/firstround and twitter.com/brettberson
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