16 Best COO Books To Read in 2023

4/19/23, 4:37 AM 16 Best COO Books to Read in 2023
Home » Books » COO Books Updated: February 03, 2023
16 Best COO Books to Read in

2023
You found our list of top COO books.
COO books are resources that provide guides for chief operating
officers in their day-to-day running of important organizational duties.
Examples include How to be a Chief Operating Officer by Jennifer
Geary, Riding Shotgun by Nathan Bennet and Stephen Miles, and From
Supervisor to Super Leader by Shanda K. Miller. The purpose of these
books is to provide COOs with the tools and knowledge they need to
manage organizations effectively.
These books are similar to CEO books, business books, management

books, and leadership books.
This list includes:
books for startup COOs

books on becoming a chief
operating officer
books about COO roles
and responsibilities
Here we go!
https://teambuilding.com/blog/coo-books 1/21
List of COO books

As the second-highest chain of command, COOs play an important role
in their organizations. Since COO books are often based on real-life
experiences or case studies, these resources offer unmatched benefits
to readers. From Startup CXO by Matt Blumberg and Peter M. Birkeland
to Built to Last by James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras, here are the
best books for COOs.
1. How to be a Chief Operating Officer: 16

Disciplines for Success by Jennifer Geary
If you are looking for books for startup COOs, then How to be a Chief
Operating Officer is a must read. In the guide, Jeniffer Geary breaks
down the 16 core elements and 13 technical areas of a COO’s job. The
author also breaks down the three vital pillars of strategy, culture, and
change in the COO role. Readers dive into the responsibilities,
performance, and warning signs that every COO must take note of to
perform effectively. How to be a Chief Operating Officer provides
practical insights that give clear and powerful roadmaps for COOs.
Notable Quote: ”Too obsessed with day-to-day coverage, too easily

blown off track by day-to-day events, they have a tendency to flit from
issue to issue, rarely engaging with them fully and rarely joining up
their various responses into a considered overall approach.”
Read How to be a Chief Operating Officer.
2. The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that

Changes Everything by Stephen M.R. Covey
People management tends to be a major problem for COOs in their

efforts to design and implement organizational structures. The Speed
of Trust showcases the speed at which organizations can establish
relationships with employees, clients, and constituents. The resource
also offers a practical look at how trust functions in relationships and
transactions and its importance for a high-performance company.
Through The Speed of Trust, COOs can learn how to forego the check-
and-balance processes due to lack of trust.
Notable Quote: ”The first job of a leader—at work or at home—is to

inspire trust. It’s to bring out the best in people by entrusting them
with meaningful stewardships, and to create an environment in which

high-trust interaction inspires creativity and possibility.”
Read The Speed of Trust.
3. Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make

It…and Why the Rest Don’t by Verne Harnish
With a variety of international accolades and recognitions, Scaling Up

is a great read for COOs who want to avoid major business pitfalls. In
the resource, the best-selling author shares practical techniques and
tools for building dominating businesses. The author also guides
readers in creating an organization that focuses on the satisfaction of
all stakeholders. Readers will find various one-page tools like the
Rockefeller Habits Checklist and the updated One-Page Strategic Plan.
Over 40,000 firms across the globe use these resources to scale their
operations. The book is also a worthwhile read for all workers, from
frontline employees to senior leaders.
Notable Quote: ”In retaining employees and keeping them engaged,

we’ll cover the five activities of great (vs. good) managers: Help people
play to their strengths. Don’t demotivate; dehassle. Set clear

expectations and give employees a clear line of sight. Give recognition
and show appreciation. Hire fewer people, but pay them more
(frontline employees, not top leaders!).”
Read Scaling Up.
4. Riding Shotgun: The Role of the COO by

Nathan Bennett & Stephen Miles
Riding Shotgun tops the list of books about COO roles and
responsibilities. The book helps COOs learn handy tips about day-to-
day job roles, such as strategy development and team management.
The authors draw heavily on the experiences of CEOs and top
executives in major corporations. For instance, readers get a chance to
learn from the experiences of top executives in companies such as
eBay, PepsiCo, Adobe Systems, and Starbucks.
Notable Quote: ”If you can’t conceptualize the strategic objectives or

help drive that or participate in that, I don’t think you are going to
succeed. But, equally, if you can’t translate that into an executable

plan, you are not going to succeed either.”
Read Riding Shotgun.
5. Startup CXO: A Field Guide to Scaling Up

Your Company’s Critical Functions and Teams
by Matt Blumberg and Peter M. Birkeland
Startup CXO is a guide that helps every functional leader in an

organization to understand their roles. Hence, current or aspiring
COOs can grasp what to avoid with function-specific tools, tactics,
and advice. The resource has in-depth chapters that cover the nine
important functions of startups. These include people, sales, business
development, operations, finance, marketing, customers, product, and
privacy. The book also features advice from CEOs about how to scale
and be successful executives. Besides COOs, Startup CXO is also
helpful for other organizational leaders such as board members, CEOs,
and investors.
Notable Quote: ”‘What gets measured gets managed.’ I’d add to that: if

you don’t know something even exists, you can’t begin to measure it,
let alone manage it!”
Read Startup CXO.
6. Welcome to Management: How to Grow

from Top Performer to Excellent Leader by
Ryan Hawk
Welcome to Management is a great resource for individuals starting

their COO jobs. In the book, the author differentiates the tactics that
will get a manager promoted from the strategies individuals should use
in their new roles. These tips include actionable advice and tools to
ease the transition into a managerial position. The author outlines
practices from in-depth interviews with over 300 globally renowned
forward-thinking leaders, case studies, and personal stories. COOs will
learn how to lead themselves and their teams and develop a culture of
mutual trust and respect.
Notable Quote: ”If we don’t trust people, how will we engage them,

innovate, create, inspire, be a team? You can trust too much and get
burned, but you can also not trust enough, and you wouldn’t see the
possibilities.”
Read Welcome to Management.
7. The Making of a Manager: What to Do When

Everyone Looks to You by Julie Zhuo
The Making of a Manager tops the list of books on becoming a chief

operating officer. In the guide, the author takes readers through the
stages of organizational leadership, from accepting a job offer to
carrying out duties. Readers will get handy tips on being a good
steward, the secrets of leading confidently, and how to deal with
unexpected situations. The book has practical everyday transformative
insights and examples on issues such as building trust, planning, and
managing teams.
Notable Quote: ”This is the crux of management: It is the belief that a

team of people can achieve more than a single person going it alone. It
is the realization that you don’t have to do everything yourself, be the

best at everything yourself, or even know how to do everything
yourself. Your job, as a manager, is to get better outcomes from a
group of people working together.”
Read The Making of a Manager.
8. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary

Companies by James C. Collins and Jerry I.
Porras
Built to Last is a fantastic read for COOs seeking company

management guides. The book provides practical guidance and new
insights to individuals who want to build landmark businesses. Built to 
Last  bases its guidelines on a Standford University Graduate School of
Business research project lasting six years. The project entails studies
of 18 exceptional companies in comparison to their competitors.
Readers will get insights on what separates companies such as
Walmart, General Electric, 3M, and Walt Disney from other 
organizations. The book inspires entrepreneurs and company

executives such as COOs by sharing practical concepts.
Notable Quote: ”Visionary companies make some of their best moves

by experimentation, trial and error, opportunism, and—quite literally—
accident. What looks in retrospect like brilliant foresight and
preplanning was often the result of ‘Let’s just try a lot of stuff and keep
what works.'”
Read Built to Last.
9. The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to

Maximize Your Potential by John C. Maxwell
The 5 Levels of Leadership is a great resource for individuals seeking

books about COO roles and responsibilities. The key lessons from the
book revolve around leadership tools that will fuel success and grow
teams. John C. Maxwell also offers a guide that will help leaders grow
in their roles while also helping subordinates develop their skills. The
resource has a detailed guide of the five levels of leadership, including
position, permission, production, people development, and pinnacle.
Maxwell uses in-depth insight, humor, and examples to help leaders

master each level of leadership.
Notable Quote: ”When people follow a leader because they have to,

they will do only what they have to. People don’t give their best to
leaders they like least. They give reluctant compliance, not
commitment. They may give their hands but certainly not their heads
or hearts.”
Read The 5 Levels of Leadership.
10. Decide! The One Common Denominator of

All Great Leaders by Gino Wickman
Decide! tops the list of leadership books for COOs. The book outlines

four major discoveries about decision-making and the exact process
leaders should follow. The author also includes success stories from
leaders using the listed methods. The short read will also help
organizational leaders, including COOs, to see the big picture in
everyday tasks.
Notable Quote: ”A client that had clarified its 10-Year Target in the first
session was a partnership, and the two partners realized they had two
completely different goals. One wanted rapid growth, and the other
was content.”
Read Decide.
11. Management: Tasks, Responsibilities,

Practices by Peter F. Drucker
If you are looking for guides on becoming a chief operating officer,

then Management is a good bet. The book aims to equip managers
with the thinking, understanding, skills, and knowledge of the job. The 
author bases these lessons on his teaching experience in executive
programs and his work as a management consultant. The book
outlines techniques and tools for effective management.
Notable Quote: ”Leadership is not magnetic personality, that can just

as well be a glib tongue. It is not ‘making friends and influencing
people,’ that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to higher
sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the
building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.”
Read Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices.
12. From Supervisor to Super Leader: How to

Break Free from Stress and Build a Thriving
Team That Gets Results by Shanda K. Miller
One of the best books on becoming a chief operating officer is From

Supervisor to Super Leader. The guide is a fantastic choice for new
COOs since it tackles common issues in team management. For
instance, the book offers team management tips for managers who
fear failure to meet expectations. The easy-to-read book also has
lessons from Shanda K. Miller’s over 20 years of experience in team
leadership. Through the publication, readers will grasp core practices
of team leadership and also tips on building strong relationships.
Notable Quote: ”Here are examples of team norms and agreements:
Treat others with respect

Listen first to understand
Strive to be open-minded and understand each other’s

perspectives
Practice empathy and put yourself in others’ shoes
Give each other the benefit of the doubt
Be accountable to the team
Have fun and celebrate the wins.”
Read From Supervisor to Super Leader.
13. The Lean Startup: How Today’s

Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to
Create Radically Successful Businesses by
Eric Ries
One of the best resources for startup COOs is The Lean Startup. The
book outlines why startups fail and how organizations can prevent
these failures. Eric Ries uses an approach that leverages human
creativity while increasing capital efficiency. The author bases these
strategies on his experience, sharing insights on topics ranging from
lean manufacturing and research to scientific experimentation. The

book offers companies ways to test their vision and adapt instead of
wasting time creating elaborate business plans.
Notable Quote: ”After more than ten years as an entrepreneur, I came

to reject that line of thinking. I have learned from both my own
successes and failures and those of many others that it’s the boring
stuff that matters the most. Startup success is not a consequence of
good genes or being in the right place at the right time. Startup
success can be engineered by following the right process, which
means it can be learned, which means it can be taught.”
Read The Lean Startup.
14. Death by Meeting: A Leadership Fable…

about Solving the Most Painful Problem in
Business by Patrick Lencioni
Death by Meeting is one of the best books for startup COOs. In the
book, Patrick Lencioni guides readers through meetings, one of the
most essential yet dreadful aspects of any business. The New York
Times best-selling author suggests simple yet revolutionary tips every

COO can implement. Death by Meeting is a blueprint for COOs and
other organizational leaders who want to eliminate the team’s
frustrations and create a thriving work environment.
Notable Quote: ”When a group of intelligent people come together to

talk about issues that matter, it is both natural and productive for
disagreement to occur. Resolving those issues is what makes a
meeting productive, engaging, even fun.”
Read Death by Meeting.
15. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership:

Follow Them and People Will Follow You by
John C. Maxwell
With over 30 years of leadership experience, John C. Maxwell uses the

21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership to teach valuable skills. The author
combines insights from his mistakes and successes as a recognized
leadership expert, author, and speaker in the guide. Maxwell also uses
his observations of sports, business, politics, and military conflict to
deliver top COO tips. Some of the lessons that readers will learn from
the book include the law of process, respect, intuition, connection, and
empowerment.
Notable Quote: ”Many people view leadership the same way they view

success, hoping to go as far as they can, to climb the ladder, to
achieve the highest position possible for their talent. But contrary to
conventional thinking, I believe the bottom line in leadership isn’t how
far we advance ourselves but how far we advance others. That is
achieved by serving others and adding value to their lives.”
Read The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.
16. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement

Without Giving In by Roger Fisher, William Ury,
and Bruce Patton
Getting to Yes is one of the best chief operating officer books to teach
negotiation tips. In the resource, the authors describe a negotiation
method that isolates problems and creates new options. The criteria of
this approach also focus on interests while using objectives to help
parties reach agreements faster. Roger Fisher bases these teachings

on his background in negotiation projects and his consulting
organizations to deliver tips that will help COOs. The book is also a
fantastic resource for negotiating personal and professional disputes.
Notable Quote: ”Pressure can take many forms: a bribe, a threat, a

manipulative appeal to trust, or a simple refusal to budge. In all these
cases, the principled response is the same: invite them to state their
reasoning, suggest objective criteria you think apply, and refuse to
budge except on this basis. Never yield to pressure, only to principle.”
Read Getting to Yes.
Conclusion
The chief operating officer is an important position in any organization. 
This role combines the functions of a manager and a chief executive.
Hence, COOs handle complex duties such as designing and
implementing policies and keeping business operations on track. While
individuals learn most tasks on the job, COOs can take advantage of
books to learn the fundamentals of their role. These books can cover
topics such as management, leadership, strategy, and organizational
operations. These resources can also guide individuals who aspire to
hold COO positions.
Next, check out our list of books for new managers, startup books,
innovation books, and change management books.
We also have a list of problem solving books, decision making books,

and business finance books.
FAQ: COO books

Here are answers to common questions about COO books.
What are COO books?

COO books are resources that provide guidance and best practices for
leaders who hold or aspire to have the chief operating officer position.
These guides provide insights into the COO role, such as job
responsibilities, people management, and organizational operations
tips.
What are the best books for chief operating

officers?
Reporting to the CEO, COOs maintain control of diverse business
operations. These roles can be challenging, hence the need to have
vast business and operations knowledge. Some of the best books for
chief operating officers include The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, Scaling
Up by Verne Harnish, and Built to Last by James C. Collins and Jerry I.
Porras.
What books teach how to become a COO?

Becoming a COO requires a combination of work experience and solid
education. Individuals can also get vast knowledge of the COO roles
from books and other resources. Some books that teach how to
become a COO include Management by Peter F. Drucker, The 21
Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell, and Decide! by
Gino Wickman.
Share:
Author: Grace He
People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com.

Grace is the Director of People & Culture at TeamBuilding. She
studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University,
Information Science at East China Normal University and
earned an MBA at Washington State University.
Grace He
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4/19/23, 4:37 AM 16 Best COO Books to Read in 2023

Home » Books » COO Books Updated: February 03, 2023

16 Best COO Books to Read in

These books are similar to CEO books, business books, management

This list includes:

books for startup COOs

List of COO books

1. How to be a Chief Operating Officer: 16

Notable Quote: ”Too obsessed with day-to-day coverage, too easily

Read How to be a Chief Operating Officer.

2. The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that

People management tends to be a major problem for COOs in their

Notable Quote: ”The first job of a leader—at work or at home—is to

with meaningful stewardships, and to create an environment in which

Read The Speed of Trust.

3. Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make

With a variety of international accolades and recognitions, Scaling Up

Notable Quote: ”In retaining employees and keeping them engaged,

play to their strengths. Don’t demotivate; dehassle. Set clear

Read Scaling Up.

4. Riding Shotgun: The Role of the COO by

Notable Quote: ”If you can’t conceptualize the strategic objectives or

succeed. But, equally, if you can’t translate that into an executable

Read Riding Shotgun.

5. Startup CXO: A Field Guide to Scaling Up

Startup CXO is a guide that helps every functional leader in an

Notable Quote: ”‘What gets measured gets managed.’ I’d add to that: if

Read Startup CXO.

6. Welcome to Management: How to Grow

Welcome to Management is a great resource for individuals starting

Notable Quote: ”If we don’t trust people, how will we engage them,

Read Welcome to Management.

7. The Making of a Manager: What to Do When

The Making of a Manager tops the list of books on becoming a chief

Notable Quote: ”This is the crux of management: It is the belief that a

is the realization that you don’t have to do everything yourself, be the

Read The Making of a Manager.

8. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary

Built to Last is a fantastic read for COOs seeking company

organizations. The book inspires entrepreneurs and company

Notable Quote: ”Visionary companies make some of their best moves

Read Built to Last.

9. The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to

The 5 Levels of Leadership is a great resource for individuals seeking

Maxwell uses in-depth insight, humor, and examples to help leaders

Notable Quote: ”When people follow a leader because they have to,

Read The 5 Levels of Leadership.

10. Decide! The One Common Denominator of

Decide! tops the list of leadership books for COOs. The book outlines

11. Management: Tasks, Responsibilities,

If you are looking for guides on becoming a chief operating officer,

Notable Quote: ”Leadership is not magnetic personality, that can just

Read Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices.

12. From Supervisor to Super Leader: How to

One of the best books on becoming a chief operating officer is From

Notable Quote: ”Here are examples of team norms and agreements:

Treat others with respect

Strive to be open-minded and understand each other’s

Read From Supervisor to Super Leader.

13. The Lean Startup: How Today’s

lean manufacturing and research to scientific experimentation. The

Notable Quote: ”After more than ten years as an entrepreneur, I came

Read The Lean Startup.

Notable Quote: ”Too obsessed with day-to-day coverage, too easily

Notable Quote: ”The first job of a leader—at work or at home—is to

With a variety of international accolades and recognitions, Scaling Up

Notable Quote: ”In retaining employees and keeping them engaged,

Notable Quote: ”If you can’t conceptualize the strategic objectives or

Notable Quote: ”‘What gets measured gets managed.’ I’d add to that: if

Notable Quote: ”If we don’t trust people, how will we engage them,

Notable Quote: ”This is the crux of management: It is the belief that a

Notable Quote: ”Visionary companies make some of their best moves

Notable Quote: ”When people follow a leader because they have to,

Decide! tops the list of leadership books for COOs. The book outlines

Notable Quote: ”Leadership is not magnetic personality, that can just

Notable Quote: ”Here are examples of team norms and agreements:

Notable Quote: ”After more than ten years as an entrepreneur, I came

Notable Quote: ”When a group of intelligent people come together to

Notable Quote: ”Many people view leadership the same way they view

Notable Quote: ”Pressure can take many forms: a bribe, a threat, a