Guwahati, Sept. 29 -- Somewhere between managing a department and running an entire operations engine lies a career jump most professionals underestimate. You've hit your stride as a functional leader - teams respect you, numbers look good, promotions have come steadily. And then the question shows up, usually uninvited, at 11 pm while you're staring at a ceiling fan: what actually comes next?

If you've been quietly asking Google how to become a COO while attending your meetings, don't worry you're not alone, and you're not being unrealistic either. As a Chief Operating Officer, you will occupy the space where strategy meets execution, and it is one of those rare C-level jobs where operators, and not only strategists, fit in. This articl...