Partnering with Your Leaders

Many teams already have an Operations Lead (OL). Sometimes that person is the COO. Sometimes they’re part-time. Sometimes they’re a trusted subject-matter expert who keeps things moving.

 

We don’t replace leaders. We partner with them.

COO as a Service works with your people to co-design a fit-for-purpose, optimised operating system—clear decisions, smooth handoffs, fast feedback—without personal issues, politics, or reshuffles.

Fion Star definition: Operations Lead (OL) = the person currently accountable for how work flows across the company—whatever their job title.

 

Why partner, not replace?

Trust is an asset. Keep it—and add architecture and cadence. This framing respects people and focuses on capability, not titles.

• Keep leadership. Add system design that scales.
• Keep ownership. Add a weekly rhythm that sticks.
• Keep speed. Add guardrails that cut rework.

 

The “just-right” operating system

Too light creates heroics. Too heavy creates drag. We aim for minimal, clear agreements that protect quality and momentum.

• Too light: shifting priorities, hidden work, fatigue.
• Too heavy: slow queues, form fatigue, lost initiative.
• Just right: visible flow, simple rules, tight feedback loops.

 

What we add (with your OL at the helm)

We co-pilot, with intent.

• Operating rhythm: quarter → month → week. Choose what works for you.
• Decision clarity: who decides, by when, and on what data. Governance you define to distribute decisions and avoid paralysis.
• Flow visibility: surface bottlenecks; smooth the handoffs. See problems early.
• Minimal metrics: a few signals that predict a bad week early. Early warning, not late reporting.
• Process minimalism: only the steps that create value. Not too heavy, not too light -> just right.

 

A partner-first approach where trust is permanent.

• Your OL has deep trust—let’s amplify that.
• It’s about making good work repeatable.
• We co-design the operating rhythm with your OL so it fits how you already work.
• We’ll keep changes light and reversible, adopt what works, drop what doesn’t.

 

Understand your current state

• Where does the longest wait live today?
• Which two indicators tell us a bad week is forming?
• What decisions land reliably in the weekly review?
• How do we escalate without breaking the main flow?

 

What teams feel when the velocity is right?

• Less ambiguity: clear owners and next steps.
• Fewer fires: earlier signals, calmer delivery.
• Faster cycles: shorter queues, cleaner handoffs.
• Steadier margins: fewer surprises and write-offs.

 

Is it a bad time to have a 20-minute fit call?

We’ll validate what’s working and identify one low-friction improvement—keeping trust at the center. Just fill in your contact details below.