Between Two COO's with Michael Koenig The Power of Calm: GuideCX COO Harris Clarke on Building Trust and Systems That Hold
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This week on Between Two COOs, Michael sits down with Harris Clarke, COO at GuideCX, to talk about what steady leadership actually looks like inside fast-changing companies.
Harris started his career in protocol and operations for the U.S. Department of State, where “process” wasn’t just a buzzword — it was survival. He shares how those lessons translate to running a modern SaaS organization and why purpose, process, and payoff are the anchors of any good meeting.
They dig into:
- How government discipline shaped Harris’s operating style
- The “three P’s” framework for productive meetings
- Why decision speed is overrated — and what Harris means by “Did anyone die or go to jail?”
- What he learned from executive coaching and board feedback
- How GuideCX built a new product category around customer onboarding
- How AI is quietly reshaping how he manages teams and prepares communications
- Why calm is a competitive advantage during crisis moments like SVB
Michael also gives context at the top: this episode was recorded across two sessions, after a recording issue mid-interview (and yes, he’s now officially a Riverside convert).
It’s a conversation about building trust, running tight systems, and keeping your head when everything around you is changing.
Harris Clarke on LinkedIn
GuideCX