While the coo chief operating officer has a very powerful position within the company, they will still be answering to their ultimate boss. They work for the CEO and will need to be responsive to the CEO’s needs. You should know how the candidate intends to relate to the CEO and how they view the relationship between the two.

What to look for in an answer:

• Experience working for people in powerful positions
• A track record of getting along well with superiors
• Strong interpersonal skills

Depending on the CEO, the coo chief operating officer will have a lot of leeway to make changes in the organization. You want to know if you are getting someone with a proactive agenda or someone who wants to keep the status quo. You also want to make sure that the candidate’s vision for their role matches the company’s agenda and that their methods fit the corporate culture.

What to look for in an answer:

• Evidence that the candidate has vision
• Goals that match the candidate’s skill set
• The ability to articulate an agenda before employment

Some coo chief operating officers prefer to focus on keeping costs manageable or even reducing them. Philosophically, other candidates try to focus on efficiency and keeping operations running. It is helpful to know the candidate’s way of thinking to make sure that they fit the corporate culture. It will not be helpful to have someone focused on efficiency above all else if the company primarily values cost control.

What to look for in an answer:

• A definite philosophy on cost control
• The ability to articulate priorities and focus
• Right fit with the corporate priorities

The coo chief operating officer will make some changes to how your company works. It is their job. You want to get an idea of how they see changes and implement them. When you get a concrete example of what the candidate does, you understand how they think and how they get things done from start to finish.

What to look for in an answer:

• A demonstrated record of tangible accomplishments
• The ability to act on ideas
• Evidence that the candidate is a visionary

This question is intended to find out how much leeway the coo chief operating officer will give employees to do their jobs. You will want to know how the candidate can strike a balance between corporate oversight and delegating to employees when necessary. The right candidate can set the overall tone for the organization and the conditions for success and will then be able to delegate and let employees shine.

What to look for in an answer:

• Sound philosophies on management
• The ability to trust employees to do their job
• Skills at getting the most out of employees

Chief operating officers are responsible for monitoring business operations across departments and making necessary changes to improve productivity factors. Their ability to identify trends in employee performance and other factors ensures a functional and prosperous business. This question allows interviewers to gauge whether a candidate understands potential problems that hinder successful operations and how they address those problems.

A candidate's answer should emphasize:

• Communication skills
• Leadership capabilities
• Investigative nature

Here is one example of a quality candidate answer: