Should Your COO/CoS Complement or Amplify You?

As a CEO, when you pick your right-hand person (whether that’s your Chief of Staff, COO, or GM) there are really only 2 options: 

1. Pick someone to complement you: in order to balance out your skills, interests and leadership style in order to fill the gaps in the business. 

2. Pick someone to amplify you: in order to boost what you are already doing and the way you are doing it a.k.a. your leadership style (=> you hire a ‘mini me’). 

How do you know which one you need?  

It starts with self-awareness. 

Knowing your strengths, blind spots, leadership style, and zone of genius. Also, how you play the CEO role, which is something I discuss with my coachees at the start.  

See example: in this case, I would recommend someone to complement you, someone who:

Is strong on execution, 

Is able to create structure and drive accountability in the leadership team, 

Has people management experience to coach you as needed

Picking a right-hand person is different from picking a co-founder. 

Back then, you needed someone to build a product with.

Now you need someone to build the business with.  

Pick wisely.