6 - The Project Manager as COO: Why Operational Thinking Matters
- Jennifer Diamond
- Apr 28
- 3 min read
Updated: May 3
How Senior Leaders Can Guide Projects with a COO Mindset
Introduction: From Project Execution to Enterprise Thinking
At some point in a project manager’s career, there’s a shift.
Early on, success is about task execution, milestone tracking, and risk mitigation—ensuring that deliverables are on time, on budget, and on scope. But as leaders step into senior roles, the game changes.
It’s no longer just about managing a project—it’s about owning its impact.
The best project leaders don’t just keep things moving. They start to think bigger—about how the project fits into the business, how resources are being leveraged, and whether the effort actually delivers value beyond its checklist of deliverables.
This is the COO mindset—where a leader stops thinking like a project administrator and starts thinking like a business operator.
But what does that shift actually look like in practice?
Step 1: Understanding That Outputs Are Not Outcomes
Many projects succeed in delivery—but fail in impact.
A new system is implemented, but adoption is low. A process is changed, but efficiency doesn’t improve. A transformation effort launches, but behaviors remain the same.
Why? Because outputs are not outcomes.
A traditional project mindset asks:
Did we complete the work?
Did we meet the timeline and budget?
A COO mindset asks:
Did we solve the actual problem?
Did this project move the business forward in a meaningful way?
Example: The “Completed but Unsuccessful” Project
A global company implemented a new procurement system to streamline purchasing. The rollout was flawless—on schedule, on budget, and without major technical issues.
But six months later, finance leaders noticed something strange: spending hadn’t actually decreased.
What happened?
The system was delivered, but behaviors hadn’t changed—teams were still making purchases outside the system because leadership hadn’t aligned incentives to encourage adoption. The project was “successful” on paper but ineffective in reality.
Leadership Insight: A COO-minded project leader doesn’t just focus on what gets built—they ask how it drives impact and adoption.
Step 2: Managing Projects Like a Business Portfolio
Step 3: Thinking Beyond the Project to Long-Term Sustainability
Final Thought: Leading Projects Like a COO
The strongest project leaders think beyond execution—they step into the COO mindset, ensuring that projects aren’t just delivered, but drive real, lasting business value.
Key Leadership Questions to Ask Yourself:
Am I measuring success based on outputs or real impact?
Does this project fit into the broader business strategy—or just feel like an isolated effort?
Have I set this initiative up for long-term sustainability, or just immediate completion?
A project is never just a project—it’s part of a larger system. Leaders who recognize that will always drive more meaningful impact.
This post is part of Maypop Grove’s Leadership Evolution Series—a collection of in-depth reflections on leadership, influence, and strategy. Designed for leaders navigating complexity, this series explores how to drive change, build resilient teams, and lead with confidence.
©2025 Maypop Grove, LLC. All rights reserved.
Comments