Post by Jason Dacaret

The Most Pressured Seat in the C-Suite Right Now—and What It Means for Hiring, Retention, and Board Expectations Let’s be honest: Every seat in the C-suite feels like it’s under siege right now. But one role is taking the brunt of the storm—both in expectation and execution: the Chief Operating Officer (COO). While the CEO fields the spotlight and the CFO calibrates capital strategy, the COO is on the ground every single day, turning chaos into continuity. They’re where the rubber meets the road. And lately, that road’s been full of landmines. Why COOs Are Feeling It the Hardest: Global supply chains? Being rebuilt in real time. Tariffs? Slamming ops with cost and timing challenges that don’t wait for the next board cycle. Labor markets? As unpredictable as ever—especially at the front lines. Margins? Under siege. Every dollar saved is a win. Tech? Transformation isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s expected, yesterday. In short, the COO is the crisis-era quarterback—and everyone’s watching. What This Means for Hiring: Companies are rethinking the entire COO profile. No longer just operational ninjas—they need: Strategic thinkers who connect the dots across the org Leaders tested by volatility, not just scale Calm, clear communicators who cut through noise System-builders, not just process-keepers Retention Reality Check: Here’s the quiet truth: COOs rarely get the spotlight, but they carry the weight. Burnout is real. So is the risk of losing your best to someone who sees and supports them better. If you’re not having honest conversations about support, recognition, and career growth, you’re already behind. What Boards Are Now Asking From COOs: Boards have shifted. They now expect COOs to: Run real-time ops updates with board-level clarity Show agility across geographies and risk scenarios Tell a compelling story that links action to enterprise resilience Bottom line? The companies that get this right will lead. The ones that don’t will feel the gap fast. More soon: how to spot the next-gen COO—and what to ask when the stakes are this high.