Most people know what a CEO is and what he deals with. The larger a company is, the more different positions there are. A good example of such an additional support function is that of the Chief Operator Officer (COO), also known as the Executive Director. The name says it all; he or she is responsible for the ultimate efficient operation and execution and reports directly to the CEO. The Executive Director is often seen as the second person with ultimate responsibility in a company, just below the Chief Executive Officer.
Tasks COO
As described earlier, the COO is actually the executive power of the CEO. Because many tasks also overlap with the CEO, there is not always a clear boundary to draw. The type of company and the size of the company also play a role in determining the final package of tasks.
The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that processes in various areas run smoothly. An example of this is managing multi-year plans and business strategies and controlling finances. In smaller companies, this often falls within the scope of the CEO’s duties. The role of the Executive Director also includes providing training and evaluating activities. In larger companies, this evaluation is often done by different team leaders. In this way, management teams are managed and the information reaches the various branches within the company.
CEO or COO?
As you can see, the work of a COO and CEO sometimes overlap. The role of an Executive Director depends on various factors, including the size of the company and corporate culture. The COO is often seen as the role that the CEO complements and therefore these individuals are often well attuned to each other. In some cases, it can even be seen that the Executive Director ultimately takes over the role of General Manager.
