The Operations Room: A Podcast for COO’s

In this episode we chat about what's going on in our lives, share some life changing news, and announce the new seasoned approach. Going forward, we'll be releasing 10 episodes at a time, starting June 5th 2025. Join our WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/J8w0bDV0pBtHUPzlvmzTgb Stay tuned! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: the art and science of 1 to 1 meetings. We are joined by Dr. Steven Rogelberg, CEO, Board Member, Editor, Author, Chief Talent Officer, Director. Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here [http://ratethispodcast.com/operationsroom]. We chat about the following with Steven Rogelberg:  1. Are your one-on-ones actually driving engagement, or are they just another meeting on the calendar? 2. What message are you really sending when you cancel a one-on-one—and how does it impact employee trust? 3. Why is listening more than speaking the secret to making one-on-ones truly effective? 4. How can structured one-on-ones boost productivity, retention, and even inclusion within your team? 5. Are most managers failing at one-on-ones simply because they’ve never been trained to do them well? REFERENCES  * https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogelberg/ * stevenrogelberg.com BIOGRAPHY  Dr. Steven G. Rogelberg is a Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte and a leading expert on meetings. An award-winning organizational psychologist, he has over 200 publications, 12,000+ citations, and received the prestigious Humboldt Award for his research. Adam Grant calls him the “world’s leading expert on how to fix meetings.” His book The Surprising Science of Meetings appeared on 25+ “best of” lists, including The Washington Post’s #1 leadership book to watch. His latest book, Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings, has earned high praise, including recognition from SHRM and Forbes. Rogelberg has been featured on CBS This Morning, CNN, BBC World, NPR’s Morning Edition, and major publications like The WSJ, NY Times, Bloomberg, and National Geographic. His keynotes have been delivered worldwide at top organizations including Google, Amazon, Pfizer, and the United Nations. In 2022, he testified before the U.S. Congress and was the inaugural winner of SIOP’s Humanitarian Award. To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here [http://operationsroom.co].  SUMMARY 14:40 The Importance of One-on-Ones 17:48 Common Mistakes in One-on-Ones 23:40 Building Trust and Connection 26:51 Key Elements of Effective One-on-Ones 27:22 Surprising Insights from Research 30:34 Training and Supporting Line Managers 33:28 Creating a Culture of Effective Meetings This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: Unlocking AI for Non-Technical Leaders. We are joined by Charlie Cowan, Founder of Kowalah and author of "How To Sell Tech" and “The Revenue Operations Playbook”. Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here [http://ratethispodcast.com/operationsroom]. We chat about the following with Charlie Cowan:  * Is AI more accessible than we think? * What’s the difference between AI agents and workflows—and why does it matter for businesses looking to scale? * How can organizations build their own AI-powered tools instead of relying solely on SaaS solutions? * What role does leadership play in AI adoption, and why is AI literacy now a must-have skill for future executives? * Can a simple “power hour” or habit shift really transform your productivity—and what does AI have to do with it? REFERENCES  * https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliecowan/ * www.charliecowan.ai * www.kowalah.com BIOGRAPHY  Charlie works with CEOs and senior leaders looking to embed AI behaviours across their organisation. With a 25 year career in SaaS, consulting and enterprise sales, Charlie bridges the gap between AI technology and practical applied use cases that help teams work smarter and faster. Charlie is the author of two books - How To Sell Tech and The Revenue Operations Playbook. Charlie is the founder of Kowalah, an AI-powered platform that helps buying teams to run a great buying processes, pick the right vendors and reduce the fear of messing up. Charlie built Kowalah as a solo-founder using AI development tools. To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here [http://operationsroom.co].  SUMMARY 26:36 Introduction to AI Adoption for Non-Technical Executives 027:16 Understanding AI Optimism vs. Pessimism 28:08 Defining AI Policies for Effective Implementation 29:52 The Concept of Agentic AI 31:23 Distinguishing Between Agents and Workflows 33:01 Building Effective AI Agents 37:49 Evaluating Future Tech Stacks for AI Integration 43:05 Empowering Leadership in the Age of AI 46:06 Navigating AI Tools for Policy Management 46:23 Crafting Effective Prompts for AI Tools 49:54 Building a Data Repository for Enhanced Insights 51:44 The Power Hour: Maximizing Productivity This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: Is the COO the single source of truth? We are joined by Eric Collins, Investor, Serial Entrepreneur, CEO & Founding Member at Impact X Capital investing in underrepresented entrepreneurs; Author of We Don’t Need Permission (amzn.to/3Qp6G9d); & Host of Channel 4's The Money Maker. Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here [http://ratethispodcast.com/operationsroom]. We chat about the following with Eric Collins:  1. What makes the COO the true "source of truth" in scaling a venture-backed company? 2. How can COOs balance growth while CFOs maintain financial discipline—and why does this partnership make or break success? 3. Why is succession planning not just a CEO concern, but a critical step for every COO aiming to lead? 4. Can a COO ever match a founder's passion, or is their power found in something entirely different? 5. What does it really take for a COO to transition into the CEO seat—and what role does backfilling play in that journey? REFERENCES  * https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdcollinsba/?originalSubdomain=uk * www.impactxcapital.com BIOGRAPHY  Eric Collins is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and host of Channel 4's The Money Maker. He’s held leadership roles at AOL, TimeWarner, SwiftKey/Microsoft, and Touch Surgery/Medtronic. Appointed by President Obama to the Small Business Administration’s Council on Underserved Communities, Eric now serves on the boards of Cirata, UnLtd, Crux, and Autograph ABP. A sought-after speaker and Audi brand ambassador, he’s consistently featured on The Powerlist of influential Black Britons. His award-winning book, We Don’t Need Permission (Penguin), advocates for investing in Black and underrepresented entrepreneurs as a powerful driver of social change. To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here [http://operationsroom.co].  SUMMARY 23:55 The unique role that the CEO plays in a scaling organisation  28:05 The value of the COO next to the CFO 30:58 Progressing as a COO 33:11 CEO and COO Succession Planning 33:51 The Passion of Founders vs. COOs 39:56 Planning for Success as a COO 43:16 Setting the Agenda in Board Meetings This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this episode we discuss: How to tackle mental health in an organization. We are joined by Chris Hatfield, Mindset & Well-being Coach. Love The Operations Room? Please support us by rating and reviewing it here [http://ratethispodcast.com/operationsroom]. We chat about the following with Chris Hatfield:  1. What if naming your anxiety was the first step to taking back control? 2. How can leaders foster vulnerability without losing authority? 3. Is your ‘stress container’ full, and how do you know when it’s overflowing? 4. Are we truly addressing the root of anxiety, or just applying quick fixes? 5. What if managing mental health was less about avoidance and more about sitting with discomfort? REFERENCES  * https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishatfieldsalespsyche/ * www.salespsyche.co.uk BIOGRAPHY  A sales mindset and well-being Coach and Author of Sales Psyche. With over 15+ years of experience working with the likes of Meta, Google, Salesforce, Experian and O2. Focused on supporting salespeople and leaders in developing a healthy and high performing mind. Also founded a run community, Run Your Mind, that is focused on mental well-being.  To learn more about Beth and Brandon or to find out about sponsorship opportunities click here [http://operationsroom.co].  SUMMARY 16:31 Understanding Anxiety 16:52 The Nature of Anxiety in Men 19:14 Coping Mechanisms for Anxiety 20:36 Proactive vs Reactive Approaches to Anxiety 22:46 Identifying When Anxiety Becomes a Problem 25:10 The Importance of Vulnerability in Leadership 29:01 Understanding the Stress Container Exercise 36:05 The Importance of Reflection and Action 37:59 Tools for Managers to Address Anxiety 34:14 Creating a Mental Health Culture in Organizations 39:18 Training Managers for Mental Health Awareness 42:49 Sales-Specific Strategies for Managing Stress This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy