We're joined by Professor and Author Nathan Bennett. On this augural first episode we dive deeper with Nate on the COO role, personalities, fit and success factors of COOs. His book, Riding Shotgun: The Role of the COO provided a new understanding of this little-understood role. In the book, the authors developed a framework for understanding who the COO is, why a company would want to create this position, and the challenges associated with successful performance in the COO role. Drawing heavily on a number of first-person accounts from CEOs and other top executives in major corporations, the book discusses a set of strategies or principles to inform individuals who aspire to serve in such a position. The executives who share their experiences in this book are from some of the most established and important companies in today's economy. Nate Bennett, Ph.D., is a professor of management and the faculty director of Robinson’s Executive MBA program. He joined Robinson’s faculty in summer 2012, after serving from 1999 to 2012 as the Catherine W. and Edwin A. Wahlen Professor of Management, as well as in a number of leadership roles, at Georgia Tech. He has published in many widely read resources for managers including the Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek.com and Forbes.com. He is co-author of two books, Riding Shotgun: The Role of the COO and Your Career Game: How Game Theory Can Help You Achieve Your Professional Goals. Both were published by Stanford University Press. Additionally, his research has appeared in Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal and Journal of Applied Psychology, as well as other academic outlets.