COO Training

 

🗓️ Week-by-Week COO Training Program

Week 1: Understanding the Role of a COO

• Objectives:

  • Define the responsibilities of a COO across various industries

  • Distinguish between CEO, COO, and CFO roles

• Activities:

  • Read case studies on high-impact COOs (e.g., Sheryl Sandberg, Tim Cook pre-CEO)

  • Interview a current or former COO if possible

  • Journal: "What kind of COO do I want to be?"

Week 2: Business Acumen & Strategic Thinking

• Objectives:

  • Develop a deep understanding of company operations and value chains

  • Practice long-term strategy formulation

• Activities:

  • Analyze 2–3 business models (canvas + SWOT)

  • Simulate a 5-year strategic plan for a sample business

  • Participate in a business strategy game or simulation

Week 3: Operational Excellence & Metrics

• Objectives:

  • Learn key operations frameworks: Lean, Six Sigma, OKRs

  • Understand how to build and interpret dashboards

• Activities:

  • Case study on operational turnaround (e.g., Toyota Production System)

  • Create an OKR dashboard for a hypothetical organization

  • Design a performance metric scorecard

Week 4: Financial Fluency for COOs

• Objectives:

  • Read and analyze financial statements

  • Understand cost structures, budgeting, forecasting

• Activities:

  • Mini-course on managerial finance

  • Review an annual report (Apple, Amazon, etc.)

  • Conduct a break-even analysis

Week 5: People, Culture, and Organizational Leadership

• Objectives:

  • Learn how COOs impact team performance and culture

  • Study leadership styles, conflict resolution, and performance management

• Activities:

  • Create a cultural values document

  • Practice difficult conversations and 360-degree feedback

  • Take a leadership style assessment

Week 6: Technology & Digital Operations

• Objectives:

  • Understand how digital tools streamline operations

  • Study the role of COOs in tech transformation

• Activities:

  • Explore ERP, CRM, and digital workflow platforms

  • Analyze a digital transformation case (e.g., Netflix, Nike)

  • Draft a digitization roadmap

Week 7: Crisis Management & Risk Mitigation

• Objectives:

  • Learn how to lead during economic turbulence or PR crises

  • Build risk frameworks (operational, reputational, financial)

• Activities:

  • Run a tabletop crisis simulation

  • Draft a company risk register

  • Review postmortems of past real-world company crises

Week 8: Board & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Objectives:

  • Learn how to work with CEOs, Boards, and other departments

  • Practice influence without authority

• Activities:

  • Simulate a board presentation with KPIs and initiatives

  • Draft a strategic memo from the COO’s perspective

  • Conduct a stakeholder power mapping exercise

Week 9: Capstone Week – Executive Simulation & Reflection

• Objectives:

  • Integrate everything learned into a real-world scenario

  • Create a personal development plan for the COO journey ahead

• Activities:

• Lead a mock executive team meeting or strategic review

• Present a full operational transformation initiative

• Reflect on key learnings and plan next steps for growth

🏭 COO Training Program – Manufacturing Industry Focus

Week 1: Understanding the Role of a COO in Manufacturing

• Book: The Toyota Way by Jeffrey Liker (a classic on operations leadership)

• Podcast: Manufacturing Happy Hour – Episodes with plant leaders and COOs

• Tool: COO Manufacturing Role Profile + RACI Chart for Production Leadership

Week 2: Strategic Thinking for Industrial Operations

• Book: The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt (lean principles in novel format)

• Podcast: Lean Blog Interviews – Ops experts discussing strategy

• Tool: Strategic Value Stream Mapping Toolkit (specific to manufacturing)

Week 3: Production Systems & KPIs

• Book: Lean Thinking by Womack & Jones

• Template: Daily Gemba Walk Checklist + Plant Performance Dashboard

• Video Resource: MIT OpenCourseWare – Supply Chain & Production Management

Week 4: Manufacturing Finance

• Book: Cost Accounting for Dummies (focus on COGS, capacity, margins)

• Template: Factory Cost Structure Worksheet (fixed vs. variable costs)

• Course: Coursera’s “Accounting for Decision Making” by Wharton

Week 5: Workforce & Shift Leadership

• Book: The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni

• Tool: Labor Scheduling Template (multi-shift plant setup)

• Podcast: ShopFloor Podcast (on team management in factories)

Week 6: Automation, Technology & Industry 4.0

• Book: Designing the Future by James Morgan & Jeff Liker (Lean + Digital)

• Podcast: Manufacturing Tomorrow – Automation, IoT, AI in factories

• Tool: Industry 4.0 Maturity Model Self-Assessment

Week 7: Supply Chain & Disruption Response

• Book: Supply Chain Management by Chopra & Meindl

• Case Study: COVID-19 impact on global supply chains (Harvard Publishing)

• Template: Supply Chain Risk Register + Resilience Scenario Planner

Week 8: Cross-Functional Plant Leadership & ESG

• Book: Making Sustainability Work by Marc Epstein

• Podcast: ESG Insider (episodes on industrial ESG metrics)

• Tools: ESG Compliance Tracker + Manufacturing Scorecard Template

Week 9: Capstone Leadership Challenge – Factory Turnaround

• Case Exercise: Simulate a plant turnaround or expansion scenario

• Deliverables: Ops Transformation Plan, Factory KPIs, Leadership Reflection

• Tool: COO Development Plan Template (PDF + Editable Google Docs)

🛠️ Core Vision: The Architect of Operational Excellence

> “Empowering people, perfecting systems, driving growth.”

🧭 Leadership Identity

• Visionary yet grounded in plant-floor reality

• Lead by example with integrity and resilience

• Bridge between executive strategy and shop floor execution

• Adaptable, calm under pressure, focused on sustainable outcomes

🏭 Manufacturing Mastery

• Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma champion

• End-to-end supply chain visibility and agility

• Digital factory transformation — AI, IoT, smart systems

• Predictive maintenance, quality control, and continuous improvement

📊 Operational KPIs I Will Drive

• OEE: Target > 90%

• First Pass Yield: 98%+

• On-Time Delivery: > 99%

• Inventory Turnover: 8x annually

• CO2 emissions per unit: -25% by Year 3

🤝 People & Culture

• Zero-incident safety mindset

• Engaged workforce with cross-skilled teams

• Transparent communication — daily Gemba walks

• Recognized employer of choice in the region

🌐 Strategic Growth Outlook

• Multi-site operations across continents

• Launch 3+ new production lines or facilities

• Spearhead sustainability initiatives (ISO 14001, circular manufacturing)

• Partner with CTO/CIO on digital maturity roadmap

📘 Inspirations

• Sheryl Sandberg (leadership presence)

• Taiichi Ohno (lean system design)

• Tim Cook (ops strategy and execution excellence)

• Rosa Santana (Latina pioneer in industrial operations)

🔍 Additional Insights for Week 1

🧠 The COO in Context

A manufacturing COO is more than a production overseer—they’re:

• The execution partner to the CEO

• The conductor of the supply chain orchestra

• The guardian of safety, quality, and throughput

• The translator of boardroom strategy into plant-floor action

🏗️ Role Differentiation by Company Stage

• Startups/Scale-ups: Focus on building processes and teams from scratch

• Mid-size firms: Harmonizing functions, growing cross-border capabilities

• Enterprises: Orchestrating global operations, risk mitigation, digitization

Understanding where your organization sits helps frame your COO strategy accordingly.

📌 Bonus Activities

1. Role Benchmarking Exercise

   • Collect 3–5 job descriptions of manufacturing COOs on LinkedIn or Glassdoor.

   • Highlight recurring themes: ERP expertise? Experience with lean transformations? Global supply chain leadership?

   • Create a “Top 5 Capabilities Matrix” based on your findings.

2. 360° Value Chain Mapping

   • Map a basic product lifecycle from raw materials to post-sale servicing.

   • Annotate which COO touchpoints exist along the way—from procurement to logistics to customer satisfaction.

   • This builds awareness of the scope and leverage of the COO function.

3. Mini Case Study: COO Impact Story

   • Research someone like Tim Cook at Apple (pre-CEO days), Jim Loree at Stanley Black & Decker, or Indra Nooyi during her PepsiCo ops days.

   • Write 1 paragraph on how their operational leadership shaped the company’s trajectory.

⚠️ Potential Pitfalls to Avoid as a New COO

• Over-indexing on efficiency while ignoring culture and safety

• Misunderstanding the interplay between tech investment and workforce readiness

• Becoming a firefighter instead of a strategic builder

If you’re journaling through this journey, here’s a thought prompt: > “If I took over operations tomorrow, what 3 things would I assess in the first week—and why?”

🎯 Week 2 Theme: Strategic Thinking for Industrial Operations

🔍 Learning Objectives

By the end of this week, you’ll be able to:

• Think like a COO: align operational planning with company-wide strategy

• Apply strategic frameworks like Theory of Constraints and Value Stream Mapping

• Identify cost, capacity, and competitive opportunities within your manufacturing setup

• Communicate strategy with impact to cross-functional stakeholders

🧠 Core Concepts

• Strategic vs Tactical vs Operational decisions

• Cost of complexity in product portfolios

• Bottleneck identification and prioritization

• How operational strategy feeds business models (e.g., Made-to-Order vs Just-in-Time)

📚 Key Resources

Type	Resource
📖 Book	The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt – Learn about bottlenecks and continuous improvement through an engaging manufacturing novel
🎧 Podcast	Lean Blog Interviews – Focus on episodes with plant leaders and strategy consultants
🛠️ Tool	Value Stream Mapping Kit (Excel + Templates) for end-to-end process visualization
📹 Video	MITx Micromasters: “Supply Chain Fundamentals” – Strategy modules (optional enrichment)

🗓️ Day-by-Day Breakdown

Day 1: Introduction to Strategic Ops Thinking

• Read selected chapters of The Goal (focus on Herbie, bottlenecks, flow)

• Journal Prompt: What are the current bottlenecks in your value stream? Are they resource-, process-, or policy-driven?

Day 2: Mapping the Value Stream

• Identify a product line or process to analyze

• Use VSM templates to map current-state and identify non-value-add activities

• Conduct a basic Process Time vs Lead Time comparison

Day 3: Cost-Capacity-Complexity Matrix

• Create a 2x2 or 3x3 matrix of SKUs/product lines:

  • High/Low Margin

  • High/Low Volume

  • High/Low Operational Complexity

• Prioritize which SKUs align with the company’s strategic focus—and which may need reevaluation

Day 4: Operational Scenarios & Decision Trees

• Brainstorm 3 “what-if” scenarios:

  • Demand spike

  • Raw material disruption

  • Equipment breakdown

• Use simple decision-tree logic to explore strategic responses and second-order effects

Day 5: Strategy Storytelling

• Summarize your week’s work into a 3-minute “COO’s Strategic Briefing”

• Practice articulating:

  • The current challenge

  • Your diagnostic insights

  • The recommended strategic response

🧰 Bonus Activities

• Benchmark 3 Industrial Strategy Models: Choose companies like Toyota, GE, Bosch—compare how they align operational capabilities with customer value

• Participate in a Simulation Game: Try free access to supply chain simulations like Beer Game or MIT’s Littlefield

• Join a LinkedIn Group or Forum: Ask a real-world manufacturing ops leader for tips on long-term planning

⚠️ Watchouts for New COOs

• Mistaking speed for strategy: It's not about doing everything fast—it’s about doing the right things methodically

• Failing to engage finance and marketing early in strategic decisions

• Rigid thinking: In manufacturing, adaptability is part of strategic strength

🗂️ Kanban Task Tracker – Week 2

📌 TO DO

• [ ] Read selected chapters of The Goal (Goldratt)

• [ ] Download and review Value Stream Mapping (VSM) templates

• [ ] Collect SKU data for cost-capacity-complexity matrix

• [ ] Brainstorm 3 operational "what-if" scenarios

• [ ] Draft outline for COO’s Strategic Briefing

🚧 IN PROGRESS

• [ ] Map current-state value stream of a selected product/process

• [ ] Identify process bottlenecks and classify root causes

• [ ] Create complexity/cost-volume matrix for top 10 products

• [ ] Design simple decision trees for what-if scenarios

🧐 REVIEW

• [ ] Analyze key takeaways from your VSM and bottleneck exercise

• [ ] Peer or mentor feedback on strategic briefing draft

• [ ] Compare your ops insights to a benchmarked company like GE or Toyota

✅ DONE

• [ ] Journaled insights from The Goal

• [ ] Identified and documented 3+ strategic decision points

• [ ] Practiced strategic storytelling (3-minute summary)

⚙️ Week 3: Operational Excellence & Metrics (Manufacturing Focus)

🎯 Learning Objectives

• Grasp foundational principles of Lean, Six Sigma, and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)

• Understand how to build actionable dashboards and performance scorecards

• Apply real metrics like OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), First Pass Yield, and Takt Time

• Learn how to drive daily continuous improvement on the plant floor

📘 Key Resources

Type	Resource
Book	Lean Thinking by James Womack & Daniel Jones
Podcast	The Ops Authority – Especially episodes on metric-driven leadership
Template	KPI Dashboard Template (Excel/Sheets) + Daily Gemba Walk Checklist
Video	Intro to Six Sigma (Free on Coursera or YouTube) – basic DMAIC principles

🗓️ Day-by-Day Breakdown

Day 1: Lean, Six Sigma & TPM Fundamentals

• Read introductory chapters from Lean Thinking

• Watch: Overview of Lean vs Six Sigma vs TPM (15-min YouTube module)

• Activity: Write down 5 wastes in your current (or hypothetical) production system

Day 2: KPI Deep Dive

• Learn to calculate: OEE, FPY, Takt Time, Downtime %

• Populate sample data in provided KPI dashboard template

• Journal: Which metric do you think is most critical to your role as COO—and why?

Day 3: Gemba Walks & Tiered Daily Meetings

• Use Gemba Walk Checklist to simulate or run a morning walk-through

• Study examples of tiered plant-floor huddles (Shift > Cell > Department)

• Note: What are frontline employees solving vs escalating?

Day 4: Building the Dashboard

• Build your own dashboard: use dummy data to visualize trends (output, scrap rate, uptime, etc.)

• Choose 3 leading and 3 lagging indicators you’d track weekly as COO

• Optional: Try out a free BI tool like Power BI or Google Data Studio

Day 5: CI Culture & Reflection

• Case Study: Read about Kaizen at Toyota or Danaher

• Develop 3 micro-improvement projects you’d launch in your plant

• Final task: Draft a one-page “Ops Excellence Manifesto” defining your philosophy as a COO

🗂️ Kanban Task Tracker – Week 3

📌 TO DO

• [ ] Read selected chapters from Lean Thinking (Womack & Jones)

• [ ] Download KPI Dashboard Template + Gemba Walk Checklist

• [ ] Watch Lean vs Six Sigma vs TPM comparison video

• [ ] Collect sample plant data (or simulate) for KPI practice

• [ ] Research Kaizen success story (Toyota, Danaher, etc.)

🚧 IN PROGRESS

• [ ] List and eliminate 5 types of waste (TIMWOOD framework)

• [ ] Populate KPI dashboard (OEE, FPY, Downtime %, etc.)

• [ ] Conduct or simulate Gemba Walk using checklist

• [ ] Draft plant-floor dashboard with leading/lagging indicators

• [ ] Write 3 small-scale CI (Continuous Improvement) project ideas

🧐 REVIEW

• [ ] Compare metrics across shifts or departments for insights

• [ ] Share “Ops Excellence Manifesto” with peer or mentor for feedback

• [ ] Review dashboard against strategic goals: is it driving insights?

✅ DONE

• [ ] Completed KPI calculations and dashboard visuals

• [ ] Identified and removed at least 1 process waste

• [ ] Drafted a one-pager on “My COO Ops Excellence Philosophy”

💰 Week 4: Financial Fluency for COOs (Manufacturing Focus)

🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of Week 4, you will:

• Confidently read and analyze manufacturing-specific financial statements

• Understand cost structures (direct, indirect, fixed, variable, overhead)

• Build accurate budgets, forecasts, and cost-benefit analyses for operations

• Link operational metrics to financial outcomes (e.g., OEE to profitability)

📘 Resources for the Week

Type	Resource
📖 Book	Financial Intelligence for Managers by Karen Berman & Joe Knight
📹 Course	Coursera – “Managerial Accounting Fundamentals” (Wharton)
📄 Template	Break-even Analysis Model + Factory Cost Structure Worksheet
🧮 Tool	Sample Budget Planning Template (Google Sheets/Excel)

🗓️ Day-by-Day Breakdown

Day 1: Financial Statements Decoded

• Review the 3 core statements: Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow

• Apply these to a real manufacturing company’s annual report (e.g., Ford, Caterpillar)

• Task: Trace how raw material purchases move through the P&L

Day 2: Cost Structures & COGS

• Define and classify costs: Direct Labor, BOM costs, Depreciation, etc.

• Populate a cost structure worksheet using sample manufacturing data

• Journal Prompt: “Which cost type has the highest ROI potential for optimization—and why?”

Day 3: Budgeting & Forecasting

• Build a simple monthly production budget: variable vs fixed costs

• Explore forecasting methods (historical trend, regression, driver-based)

• Try a “what-if” scenario: How does a 5% scrap rate reduction affect EBIT?

Day 4: Operational Metrics to Financial Impact

• Link KPIs to dollars: How does OEE improvement affect throughput + margins?

• Create a mini dashboard with cost per unit, labor utilization %, and machine efficiency

• Use scenario modeling to simulate profit impact from operational changes

Day 5: Decision-Making with Financial Lens

• Study a CapEx decision (e.g., buy vs lease new equipment)

• Apply NPV and Payback Period tools using provided templates

• Wrap-up Reflection: "What numbers should a COO know cold—and what should they delegate?"

🧰 Bonus Challenges

• Factory P&L Simulation: Use mock data to manage a monthly plant P&L—track production costs vs revenue

• Create a CapEx Business Case: Draft a pitch for a $500K automation upgrade, with ROI model

• Finance Role Interview: Chat with a controller or CFO about how they collaborate with Ops teams

🗂️ Kanban Task Tracker – Week 4: Financial Fluency for COOs

📌 TO DO

• [ ] Read key chapters from Financial Intelligence for Managers

• [ ] Download Break-even Analysis & Cost Structure Templates

• [ ] Review 3 key financial statements of a manufacturing firm

• [ ] Set up sample monthly production budget in Excel or Sheets

• [ ] Study a CapEx decision-making framework

🚧 IN PROGRESS

• [ ] Fill out cost structure worksheet with sample COGS/overhead data

• [ ] Populate budget with variable/fixed costs by department

• [ ] Practice linking operational metrics to dollar outcomes (OEE → Profitability)

• [ ] Simulate a “what-if” scrap rate scenario in spreadsheet

• [ ] Draft CapEx ROI case with NPV & Payback analysis

🧐 REVIEW

• [ ] Share P&L or dashboard insights with peer/mentor

• [ ] Finalize your list of “COO Numbers to Know”

• [ ] Review your own financial blind spots and set 2 learning goals

✅ DONE

• [ ] Completed sample factory P&L simulation

• [ ] Submitted CapEx proposal worksheet (mock or real)

• [ ] Reflected on your financial decision-making style

📊 Customizable Finance Dashboard Template (Manufacturing Focus)

Here’s what you can include in your spreadsheet dashboard (build in Excel or Google Sheets):

📁 Tabs/Sections

1. Summary Dashboard

   • Gross Margin %

   • Total Throughput

   • OEE Trend

   • Cost per Unit

   • Labor Utilization %

2. Monthly P&L Snapshot

   • Revenue by SKU/Plant

   • COGS breakdown

   • Gross vs Operating Profit

   • Variance from Budget

3. Cost Structure Analysis

   • Fixed vs Variable

   • Direct vs Indirect

   • Overhead Allocation (per machine, per shift)

4. CapEx Tracker

   • Project Description

   • Budgeted vs Actual

   • Payback Period

   • ROI % and NPV Summary

5. Break-even Analysis

   • Break-even Volume (units)

   • Contribution Margin

   • Sensitivity to price/cost changes

💡 Bonus Tip: Use conditional formatting for variances (green = below cost, red = over budget) and pivot tables for monthly trend views.

📊 Finance Dashboard Structure – Excel Workbook

🔹 Tab 1: KPI Summary Dashboard

A snapshot of key metrics, designed for visual trends and quick decision-making.

Columns/Fields:

Metric	Target	Actual	Variance	Status
Gross Margin %	=(Revenue - COGS)/Revenue	—	=C2-B2	Conditional Formatting
OEE %	>90%	Input	Auto-calc	Traffic Light System
Cost per Unit	Input	=Total Costs/Units Produced	—	—
Labor Utilization %	=Actual Labor Hours / Scheduled Hours	—	—	—

Tips: Use =IF() formulas to color-code variance or flag metrics outside range.

🔹 Tab 2: Monthly P&L

Profit & Loss snapshot for the plant or business unit.

Sample Layout:

Category	Jan	Feb	Mar	Q1 Total
Revenue	Input	Input	Input	=SUM(B2:D2)
COGS	Input	Input	Input	=SUM(B3:D3)
Gross Profit	=B2-B3	...	...	=SUM(E2:E4)
Operating Expenses	Input	Input	Input	—
EBITDA	=Gross Profit - OpEx	—	—	—

🔹 Tab 3: Cost Structure Worksheet

Breaks down fixed and variable costs.

Categories & Examples:

Cost Type	Fixed/Variable	Amount	Notes
Direct Labor	Variable	Input	Per unit/hour
Depreciation	Fixed	Input	Monthly machinery amort.
Utilities	Semi-Variable	Input	Includes base + volume
Raw Materials	Variable	Input	Driven by BOM
Maintenance	Fixed/Variable	Input	Classify based on setup

🔹 Tab 4: CapEx Tracker

Analyze investments and returns.

Columns:

Project	CapEx (₹)	NPV	Payback Period (years)	ROI %	Status
New CNC Line	₹5,00,000	=NPV(rate, cash flows)	=Years till breakeven	=(Total Return-CapEx)/CapEx	In Review

🔹 Tab 5: Break-even Analysis

Classic volume-profit planning.

Key Calculations:

• Break-even Units: =Fixed Costs / (Price per Unit - Variable Cost per Unit)

• Contribution Margin: =(Selling Price - Variable Cost) / Selling Price

• Profit Forecasting: =Units Sold × (SP - VC) - Fixed Costs

🗂️ Kanban Task Tracker – Week 4: Financial Fluency

📌 TO DO

• [ ] Read selected chapters from Financial Intelligence for Managers

• [ ] Download/duplicate Factory Cost Structure & Break-even Analysis templates

• [ ] Collect sample P&L or budget data from a real or mock plant

• [ ] Watch Coursera/YouTube series on Managerial Accounting basics

• [ ] Review definitions: EBITDA, COGS, Fixed vs Variable Costs, Contribution Margin

🚧 IN PROGRESS

• [ ] Populate Cost Structure Worksheet with plant-specific cost categories

• [ ] Draft Monthly Ops Budget (fixed, variable, and overhead lines)

• [ ] Perform Break-even Analysis for a selected product line

• [ ] Build mini dashboard: OEE vs Cost per Unit vs Scrap Rate impact

• [ ] Model CapEx ROI: NPV, Payback, and Justification Summary

🧐 REVIEW

• [ ] Peer or mentor reviews of dashboard or CapEx pitch

• [ ] Finalize your “Financial KPI Command List” (COO must-know metrics)

• [ ] Reflect on which financial levers you control directly in your current (or target) role

✅ DONE

• [ ] Completed financial statement walk-through of a manufacturing firm (e.g., Siemens, Tata Steel)

• [ ] Simulated profit impact using “what-if” scenarios

• [ ] Drafted a 2–3 slide summary: “How Ops KPIs Drive Financial Value”

Now let’s power into Week 5: People, Culture & Organizational Leadership—one of the most underestimated (and high-impact) pillars of COO success, especially in manufacturing where workforce engagement directly affects output, quality, and safety.

👥 Week 5: People, Culture & Organizational Leadership (Manufacturing Focus)

🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of this week, you will:

• Understand the COO’s role in shaping frontline leadership and engagement

• Master shift planning, labor balancing, and cross-training strategies

• Learn how to conduct feedback, resolve conflicts, and build high-performing teams

• Assess and influence organizational culture through measurable tools

📘 Key Resources

Type	Resource
📖 Book	Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek – Building trust-based leadership
🎧 Podcast	WorkLife with Adam Grant – Especially episodes on culture and motivation
🛠️ Tools	Labor Shift Planner (Excel), 360° Feedback Form, Culture Audit Checklist
🎯 Bonus Tool	Employee Engagement Pulse Survey (Google Forms or Typeform)

🗓️ Day-by-Day Breakdown

Day 1: Culture as a Strategic Lever

• Read key takeaways from Leaders Eat Last or watch his TED Talk

• Complete a Culture Audit (sample questions: “What behaviors are rewarded?” “How is conflict handled?”)

• Journal Prompt: What kind of culture would your best operators thrive in—and how would you build it?

Day 2: Shift Structures & Workforce Design

• Build a 3-shift labor model with skill overlap (A, B, and C shifts with flex roles)

• Define performance expectations by role/tier

• Optional: Add EHS roles or part-time swing crews to model

Day 3: Feedback & Coaching Systems

• Practice writing a feedback script using the SBI model (Situation, Behavior, Impact)

• Draft a Conflict Conversation Playbook: 3 tough scenarios + response plans

• Review: How does your leadership style influence how people respond to correction?

Day 4: Engagement, Recognition & Retention

• Launch a sample Employee Pulse Survey

• Analyze results and brainstorm 3 retention or morale-boosting initiatives

• Case Study: How does Danaher or Toyota build leadership at the frontline?

Day 5: Personal Leadership Philosophy

• Collect anonymous 360° input (or simulate using self-assessment rubric)

• Draft your People-First Leadership Manifesto: What do you believe, prioritize, and model?

• Define your top 3 leadership development goals over the next 12 months

🧰 Bonus Activities

• Shadow a shift supervisor for one day (if accessible) or interview a plant HR head

• Build a recognition dashboard: birthdays, milestones, top performers, safety heroes

• Analyze historical absenteeism or turnover data to look for patterns

🗂️ Kanban Task Tracker – Week 5: People, Culture & Organizational Leadership

📌 TO DO

• [ ] Read Leaders Eat Last (key insights or TED Talk)

• [ ] Download 360° Feedback Template & Culture Audit Checklist

• [ ] Create sample 3-shift labor plan with cross-training matrix

• [ ] Draft employee pulse survey (5–7 quick questions)

• [ ] Identify 3 industrial companies with strong cultures (e.g., Toyota, Danaher)

🚧 IN PROGRESS

• [ ] Complete Culture Audit & identify behavior mismatches

• [ ] Practice SBI feedback model with mock scenarios

• [ ] Simulate conflict-resolution dialogues for 3 manufacturing cases

• [ ] Launch and analyze a sample engagement survey

• [ ] Start drafting your People-First Leadership Manifesto

🧐 REVIEW

• [ ] Review anonymous 360° feedback or self-reflection rubric

• [ ] Workshop labor schedule with a mentor/HR peer

• [ ] Finalize leadership development goals for the next 12 months

✅ DONE

• [ ] Wrote plant culture vision statement

• [ ] Completed skill matrix and shift coverage table

• [ ] Identified 2 retention or morale-boosting ideas for your team

• [ ] Shared leadership philosophy with a trusted peer or coach

🧠 Week 6: Technology & Digital Operations (Industry 4.0 Focus)

🎯 Learning Objectives

• Understand the COO’s role in technology enablement and digital transformation

• Evaluate ERP, MES, CRM, and automation systems with strategic insight

• Create a digital maturity roadmap tailored for your plant or organization

• Explore how AI, IoT, robotics, and data analytics transform modern factories

📘 Resources

Type	Resource
Book	Designing the Future by Jeff Liker & James Morgan
Podcast	Manufacturing Tomorrow – Focus on automation & industrial AI
Tools	Digital Operations Audit Template, Industry 4.0 Maturity Model (Excel), ERP Feature Comparison Matrix

🗓️ Day-by-Day Breakdown

Day 1: The COO's Tech Mandate

• Watch: Intro to Industry 4.0 (McKinsey/BCG short videos)

• Map digital priorities across operations: supply chain, quality, energy, workforce

• Reflect: What’s your plant’s current digital pain point—and what’s the opportunity?

Day 2: ERP, MES, and Data Systems

• Compare 2–3 ERP platforms (SAP, Oracle, Odoo, Epicor) using feature matrix

• Define the link between ERP, MES, and real-time decision-making

• Activity: Create a flowchart of your factory’s “data to decision” pathway

Day 3: Automation & Smart Machinery

• Explore technologies like CNC automation, cobots, condition-based monitoring

• Case Study: Read how Bosch or Foxconn used robotics to scale quality & speed

• Optional Exercise: Estimate ROI of automating one process or cell

Day 4: Building a Digital Roadmap

• Complete the Digital Maturity Self-Assessment

• Draft a 12–18 month roadmap with milestones: pilot → scale → integrate

• Consider risks: cybersecurity, change management, training gaps

Day 5: Communicating Tech Strategy

• Draft a 2-slide summary: “What Technology Will Enable Our Ops in the Next 3 Years?”

• Pitch your tech vision to a hypothetical CEO/CIO—what’s the impact in cost, quality, agility?

• Final Task: Identify 2 tech priorities you will champion as COO

🗂️ Kanban Task Tracker – Week 6: Technology & Digital Ops

📌 TO DO

• [ ] Watch Industry 4.0 overview videos (e.g., McKinsey, BCG explainer)

• [ ] Download Digital Maturity Model & ERP Feature Comparison templates

• [ ] Read case studies from Bosch, Foxconn, or Unilever on digital factory initiatives

• [ ] Collect info on current ERP/MES platforms (real or hypothetical)

• [ ] Review basic architecture of smart manufacturing systems (IoT, AI, cloud)

🚧 IN PROGRESS

• [ ] Score your plant/organization on Digital Maturity Self-Assessment

• [ ] Compare 2+ ERP vendors using feature matrix (SAP, Oracle, Odoo, Epicor)

• [ ] Map current “Data → Decision” flow in your operations

• [ ] Draft roadmap: Pilot → Scale → Integrate (12–18 months)

🧐 REVIEW

• [ ] Validate priorities with stakeholder input (e.g., maintenance, IT, supply chain leads)

• [ ] Estimate ROI for automating 1 production process or work cell

• [ ] Peer review of “Tech in Ops” 2-slide strategy pitch

✅ DONE

• [ ] Completed Digital Audit & Maturity Scoring

• [ ] Finalized Top 2–3 Digital Ops Priorities as COO

• [ ] Built a visual or slide deck summarizing tech investment impact (cost, quality, agility)

🚨 Week 7: Crisis Management & Risk Mitigation

🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of this week, you’ll be able to:

• Identify and categorize operational risks across manufacturing value chains

• Develop proactive response plans for disruptions (supply chain, labor, compliance, tech)

• Lead with resilience during crisis events through structured communication

• Build a company-wide risk register and mitigation strategy

📘 Key Resources

Type	Resource
Book	Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable by Steven Fink
Case Study	Harvard Publishing – Supply Chain Failure (e.g., Toyota’s chip shortage)
Templates	Crisis Playbook, Risk Register (Excel), Communication Framework (RACI + escalation trees)
Podcast	Coaching for Leaders – Episodes on resilience and leading under pressure

🗓️ Day-by-Day Breakdown

Day 1: Mapping Risks

• Use PESTLE + value chain model to brainstorm operational risks: geopolitical, supplier failure, labor walkouts, machinery failure, etc.

• Categorize risks by likelihood and impact (2x2 Risk Matrix)

• Journal Prompt: Which 3 risks keep me up at night, and why?

Day 2: Building the Risk Register

• Populate a real or simulated company-wide Risk Register:

  • Category

  • Root Cause

  • Likelihood

  • Impact

  • Mitigation Plan

  • Owner

• Activity: Identify which risks need redundancy vs monitoring

Day 3: Crisis Scenarios & Tabletop Exercises

• Choose 1–2 scenarios to simulate:

  • Cyberattack on MES

  • Fatal accident on the floor

  • 3-day logistics shutdown

• Map decisions, escalation paths, and internal/external communication

Day 4: Recovery & Continuity

• Draft your Business Continuity Plan (BCP) outline:

  • People

  • Process

  • Technology

  • Backup Facilities

• Reflect: What’s the recovery Time Objective (RTO) for your ops?

Day 5: Crisis Communication & Leadership

• Complete the “COO Under Pressure” challenge:

  • 2-minute impromptu media response or stakeholder message

• Build a Crisis Comms Toolkit (pre-approved statements, contact lists, escalation charts)

• Final Task: Identify 2 systemic improvements to reduce future crisis probability

🧰 Bonus Activities

• Interview your plant’s EHS or compliance officer

• Analyze a real factory incident report and identify learnings

• Review your country’s disaster preparedness acts and how they relate to manufacturing (e.g., India’s Factory Act)

🗂️ Kanban Task Tracker – Week 7: Crisis Management & Risk Mitigation

📌 TO DO

• [ ] Read excerpts from Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable

• [ ] Download Risk Register & Crisis Playbook templates

• [ ] Watch case study video on Toyota’s chip shortage or similar disruptions

• [ ] Identify 5–10 potential risks to your operations using PESTLE & value chain

🚧 IN PROGRESS

• [ ] Populate Risk Register with manufacturing-specific risks (e.g., supplier failures, machinery breakdown, labor strikes)

• [ ] Draft mitigation strategies and assign risk owners

• [ ] Select and simulate at least one crisis scenario (e.g., cyberattack, fire, transport strike)

• [ ] Build outline of your Business Continuity Plan (people, process, tech)

🧐 REVIEW

• [ ] Review escalation flow and communication plan with peers or mentors

• [ ] Complete 2-minute “Under Pressure” communication challenge

• [ ] Identify improvements to reduce exposure to 2–3 major risks

✅ DONE

• [ ] Finalized Risk Register and mitigation plans

• [ ] Created customized Crisis Comms Toolkit

• [ ] Wrote a post-crisis reflection or lessons-learned memo

📋 Pre-Filled Templates

✅ 1. Risk Register Template (Manufacturing Focus)

Risk ID	Category	Description	Likelihood (1–5)	Impact (1–5)	Mitigation Strategy	Owner	Status
R-001	Supply Chain	Sole supplier of critical component may delay shipments	4	5	Identify 2 alternative vendors; keep safety stock	Procurement	Open
R-002	Equipment	Key CNC machine subject to high downtime	3	4	Preventive maintenance every 100 hrs	Maintenance	Active
R-003	Labor	Labor union may strike over new policy	2	5	Engage HR early; prepare contingency crews	Plant Manager	In review
R-004	Cybersecurity	MES may be exposed to ransomware	3	5	IT audit + staff awareness training	IT Lead	Active

> You can use color-coding for risk heat maps based on Likelihood × Impact scores.

✅ 2. Crisis Playbook Template (Quick Deployment)

Section A – Crisis Identification

• Trigger Event: Example – Explosion in warehouse

• Time/Date Detected:

• Initial Assessor: Shift Supervisor John R.

Section B – First Response

• Evacuation Protocol: Initiated (Assembly Point B)

• Emergency Services Contacted: [Yes/No]

• Internal Crisis Team Activated: [Yes/No]

Section C – Escalation Matrix

Role	Contact Name	Escalation Time	Backup Contact
COO	[Your Name]	Immediately	[Alternate]
Plant Head	—	15 minutes	—
EHS Officer	—	5 minutes	—

Section D – Communication Strategy

• Internal Comms: Notify all shift leaders and HR

• External Comms: Appoint media spokesperson, draft holding statement

• Channels: Phone, Email, Slack, PA System

Section E – Post-Crisis Recovery

• Debrief: 24 hrs after

• Investigation Lead:

• Root Cause Analysis Due By:

• Lessons Learned Archive Updated: [Y/N]

🏛️ Week 8: Board & Cross-Functional Collaboration

🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of this week, you’ll be able to:

• Engage effectively with the CEO, board members, and department heads

• Build influence and trust beyond your direct authority

• Present strategic operations updates in an executive-ready format

• Drive alignment across Finance, IT, HR, Sales, and Supply Chain

📘 Key Resources

Type	Resource
Book	The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni – How trust, commitment, and accountability affect leadership teams
Podcast	The Modern Manager – Cross-functional influence & executive alignment episodes
Tools	Stakeholder Mapping Matrix, Executive KPI Brief Template, Strategic Memo Builder
Bonus	Board Presentation Slide Guide (storytelling + impact metrics)

🗓️ Day-by-Day Breakdown

Day 1: Understanding Board Expectations

• Research what boards care about in COO updates (KPIs, risks, strategic levers)

• Read real-world board minutes (public company filings) to identify themes

• Journal Prompt: What 3 messages would I want the board to remember about my operations?

Day 2: Stakeholder Mapping & Influence

• Create a Stakeholder Influence Map:

  • Map by power/influence vs interest

  • Identify supporters, skeptics, and potential allies

• Craft your influence strategy using push vs pull tactics

Day 3: Cross-Functional Partnership Playbooks

• Choose one department (e.g., HR, Sales, IT) and map your working interface

• Identify misalignments or silos that impact efficiency or morale

• Draft 3 improvement initiatives that benefit both functions

Day 4: Executive Communication & Metrics

• Build a 1-page KPI snapshot with 3–5 headline metrics (OEE, Scrap Rate, CO2/unit, OTIF)

• Practice writing a strategic memo from the COO’s perspective:

  • What’s the issue?

  • What do the numbers say?

  • What’s your ask or initiative?

Day 5: Presenting to the Board

• Simulate a 3-minute boardroom update (script + slides)

• Focus on clarity, context, and confidence:

  • What happened?

  • Why it matters?

  • What’s next?

• Final Task: Reflect on how your leadership narrative evolves from plant to boardroom

🧰 Bonus Activities

• Sit in (or simulate) a cross-functional leadership meeting

• Interview a CFO or CHRO about how they see Ops contributing to strategic goals

• Analyze one company’s board deck (if public) and identify how COOs frame impact

🗂️ Kanban Task Tracker – Week 8: Board & Cross-Functional Collaboration

📌 TO DO

• [ ] Read The Five Dysfunctions of a Team or summary notes

• [ ] Download Stakeholder Mapping & Executive Brief templates

• [ ] Collect 3–5 board-level KPIs used in manufacturing leadership

• [ ] Watch a real or simulated board meeting (public company or case study)

• [ ] Identify cross-functional gaps between Ops and one partner function (e.g., Sales, HR)

🚧 IN PROGRESS

• [ ] Map internal stakeholders by power/influence vs interest

• [ ] Draft a cross-functional collaboration improvement plan (targeting one function)

• [ ] Build a 1-page executive KPI report using OEE, Scrap Rate, OTIF, etc.

• [ ] Write COO memo: summarize an ops challenge and propose an initiative

🧐 REVIEW

• [ ] Simulate a 3-minute boardroom update with slides or script

• [ ] Peer review: Strategic Memo or KPI Summary for clarity and insight

• [ ] Reflect on how your leadership communication style adapts from frontline to boardroom

✅ DONE

• [ ] Completed Stakeholder Map + Alignment Strategy

• [ ] Delivered a mock strategic update as if presenting to the board

• [ ] Wrote your “COO Cross-Functional Charter” to align with all C-suite partners

🏁 Week 9: Capstone Week – Executive Simulation & Reflection

🎯 Learning Objectives

• Integrate everything you’ve learned across the past 8 weeks

• Simulate leading a company-wide operations review

• Present your vision and strategies as a manufacturing COO

• Create your personal leadership development plan going forward

📘 Key Resources

Type	Resource
Template	Capstone Simulation Guide + Evaluation Rubric
Framework	COO Personal Growth Plan – “12-Month Action Map”
Toolkit	Executive Operations Review Slide Deck (blank)
Bonus	Leadership Reflection Journal (Daily/Weekly Format)

🗓️ Day-by-Day Breakdown

Day 1: Capstone Project Brief

• Choose a realistic challenge (e.g., new facility ramp-up, supply disruption, digitization rollout)

• Draft a summary of goals, constraints, stakeholders, and timeline

• Set three KPIs that define success for your initiative

Day 2–3: Strategy Development & Simulation

• Build your Capstone Plan:

  • Situation Overview

  • Root Cause or Opportunity

  • Operational Plan & Milestones

  • Stakeholder Alignment Strategy

• Create a simple slide deck and deliver a 5-minute recorded or live mock “COO Executive Update”

Day 4: Personal Growth Blueprint

• Complete your COO Growth Plan:

  • Strengths & Gaps Assessment

  • 3 Personal Development Goals

  • Resources/Coaches/Programs you’ll pursue

  • Monthly Checkpoints

• Share with a mentor, peer, or future self!

Day 5: Reflection & Closure

• Journal Prompt: “How have I evolved over the past 9 weeks as a COO?”

• List your 5 most important insights or mindset shifts

• Celebrate your completion (maybe even design a “COO Certificate” for fun!)

🧰 Bonus Challenges

• Join a panel-style Zoom or peer group for live Capstone feedback

• Build a Notion or portfolio page capturing your entire 9-week journey

• Share your Capstone Plan with your manager or mentor for real-world feedback