I met with my friend Wendy last week. At one point, she asked me:
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) and the Chief of Staff (CoS) often get confused. The titles sound similar. The reporting lines often overlap. But the roles? They’re fundamentally different.
Here’s how I think about it:
The COO is on the field, running plays with the team. The CoS is off the field, headset on, reading the game, enforcing the strategy, and making sure the quarterback isn’t sacked by five priorities at once.
One runs the business. The other keeps the whole system aligned and moving by orienting to the principal, the team and the organization.
Different vantage points. Same mission.
When scoped right, these roles can unlock serious leverage together.
What They Do
COO: Owns Execution
The COO leads major functions, often including operations, finance, product and people. They manage teams, own performance and are directly responsible for achieving the company’s goals.
They have real decision rights. Budget control. They regularly interface with the board. They’re accountable for results.
If the CEO is focused on where the company is going, the COO is focused on how to get there and make that path repeatable and scalable.
They don’t just drive execution. They own it.
CoS: Ensures Execution
The Chief of Staff is a high-trust, high-impact individual contributor. They usually don’t manage teams or own large budgets, though they may oversee the CEO’s budget or special cross-functional initiatives.
They’re not on the hook for org-wide KPIs, but they’re deeply embedded and often measured by how effectively they help drive them forward.
They work across the CEO, the leadership team and the org, ensuring alignment, clearing blockers, tracking priorities and keeping the right conversations moving. They operate through influence, context and coordination.
Think of the Chief of Staff like an air traffic controller: they’re not flying the planes, but they’re tracking every moving piece, managing communication across the tower and keeping the system running smoothly so that everyone gets where they’re supposed to go, on time and with as little turbulence as possible.
A strong Chief of Staff gives the CEO leverage and brings clarity to the team. They don’t run the business, but they help it run better.
How They Show Up
COO: Out Front
Visible leader. Sets the operating cadence for the org
Runs leadership meetings, department reviews and ops check-ins
Has direct authority. People look to them for decisions, priorities and escalations
Name is all over project plans, OKRs and dashboards
Interface with the board is common and sometimes expected
CoS: Behind the Scenes
Less visible, more embedded
Orchestrates meeting agendas, sets up context, follows up on next steps
Has indirect authority. People look to them for guidance, clarity and direction
Extension of the CEO, focused on priorities, not visibility
Surfaces disconnects, spots gaps and nudges for alignment
Acts as a sounding board for execs and filters what flows to the CEO
Often plays the role of truth-teller, with permission to name what others won’t
Keeps conversations productive and decisions moving, often in the background
Trusted sounding board and confidential partner for the CEO
When You Need Each Role
Early Stage? Start with a CoS
If you’re a founder or CEO who spends too much time in meetings, making every decision and constantly context-switching, you need leverage.
A Chief of Staff helps you lead with intention, managing flow, shaping context and keeping your time and focus on what moves the business forward.
You don’t need someone to run the business yet. You need someone to keep it from slipping sideways.
You need focus before scale.
Scaling Fast? Bring in a COO
As your org grows and complexity kicks in, you’ll need more than leverage, you’ll need structure. Teams get bigger. Metrics matter more. You need someone who can lead functions, drive operating plans and turn the company’s strategy into real systems.
That’s the COO.
They bring stability to scale. They own execution, build repeatable rhythms and drive accountability across the business so the CEO can stay focused on vision and executive team.
Here’s a simple checklist to get you started:
If you need someone to…
Own and manage multiple teams
Drive execution on company-wide KPIs
Build and maintain operating cadence
Scale systems across functions
Lead functional leaders and hold them accountable
Represent the company in board or investor meetings→ You’re looking for a COO
If you need someone to…
Protect the CEO’s time and focus
Keep priorities aligned across the org
Manage flow across execs and cross-functional work
Surface gaps, disconnects or decision fatigue
Shape internal communication and alignment
Help the CEO position their thinking and stay focused on the vision→ You’re looking for a Chief of Staff
The Takeaway
The COO and Chief of Staff are two distinct roles. They serve different purposes, solve different problems and rely on different skill sets.
But when designed intentionally and scoped to match the business's real needs, they can be among the most effective partnerships at the top of an organization.
It all comes down to clarity: goals, scope and what unlocks the most leverage right now.
Start there.