For many operations executives in small and mid-sized companies, “scaling” sounds like a clear destination - but the real challenge lies in defining what scaling actually means for your specific business. Growth doesn’t always require adding layers, hiring fast, or building out complex structures. Sometimes it means tightening what’s already there.

Scaling is not simply about doing more; it’s about building the foundation that allows more to happen efficiently, sustainably, and without compromising what makes the business great in the first place. The real work of scaling begins with understanding where your organization stands today, what’s holding it back, and how to build the systems, people, and habits that make growth repeatable.

Every business eventually hits a ceiling. Sometimes that ceiling comes from capacity - you simply can’t produce or deliver more. Other times it’s about clarity - decisions slow down, accountability blurs, and the team starts to lose focus. Before you can move forward, you have to define the kind of ceiling you’ve hit. Is growth slowing because your processes can’t keep up? Because decision-making has become tangled? Or because communication and priorities no longer align across the team? Scaling isn’t a one-size-fits-all problem; it’s about finding the bottlenecks that matter most to your next level of growth - and solving those first.

A good starting point is to look at your business through three lenses: structure, systems, and strategy. Structure defines how clearly roles are owned and decisions are made. Systems determine whether your processes are consistent, documented, and repeatable - or dependent on a few people’s institutional knowledge. Strategy ensures the entire organization is pulling in the same direction. If you’re seeing friction or confusion in any of these areas, it’s a signal that you’ve outgrown your current operating model.

Once you know where you stand, the next question is how to build from there. Many successful small and midsize companies turn to established operating frameworks to bring discipline to growth. Two of the most widely used are EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and Scaling Up. EOS, introduced in Traction by Gino Wickman, focuses on six key components - vision, people, data, issues, process, and traction - to help leadership teams clarify direction, assign ownership, and build accountability through simple rhythms and scorecards. It’s particularly effective for founder-led or fast-growing organizations that need structure without excessive complexity.

Scaling Up, created by Verne Harnish, offers a more advanced framework built around four pillars: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash. It provides tools like the One-Page Strategic Plan and Rockefeller Habits Checklist to help businesses align leadership, strengthen execution, and maintain financial discipline as they expand. The beauty of both systems lies not in strict adoption, but in borrowing what works - using EOS to create clarity and accountability, and Scaling Up to bring strategic and financial rigor.

Before implementing any framework, it’s critical to align your leadership team around what “scaling” actually means for your business. For some, scaling means increasing capacity or revenue. For others, it’s about improving profitability, expanding into new markets, or strengthening internal capabilities. Misalignment on this point can derail even the best-designed plans. Start by asking: What does scaling mean for us? What must stay the same as we grow? And what can we afford to change? Once those questions are answered, your operating model becomes the roadmap for achieving that shared vision.

A common pitfall for growing companies is adding people or management layers too quickly. Hiring often feels like progress, but without systems that can absorb and guide new talent, it usually adds complexity faster than capability. Before scaling your headcount, make sure your systems are solid - document core workflows, establish metrics that connect to real outcomes, and create meeting rhythms that maintain accountability. Automate repetitive work before delegating it. When your systems run smoothly, adding people amplifies your capacity instead of your chaos.

Operating models shouldn’t be static documents tucked away after a leadership retreat - they’re living frameworks. Revisit yours every six to twelve months to test what’s working and what’s breaking under new pressures. Which processes have become bottlenecks? Where are decisions getting stuck? Where are communication handoffs failing? Building in this review cadence keeps your organization responsive rather than reactive, and ensures you’re scaling intentionally, not just growing by inertia.

For COOs and operations leaders, scaling is ultimately about capacity and clarity. Your job isn’t just to keep up with growth - it’s to build the foundation for it before it happens. That means balancing structure with flexibility, efficiency with innovation, and clarity with empowerment. The goal isn’t to add weight, but to build muscle. Strong systems make decisions easier. Clear communication keeps teams aligned. Empowered people create forward momentum.

There are a number of excellent resources to guide your thinking. Traction by Gino Wickman and Scaling Up by Verne Harnish are two of the most practical playbooks for building operational maturity. Patrick Lencioni’s The Advantage explores how organizational health becomes a competitive edge, while Measure What Matters by John Doerr dives into OKRs and alignment. And within the COO Forum® community, members continually share real-world tools, templates, and experiences from their own scaling journeys - lessons that bridge theory and execution.

Every scaling journey begins from a different place, but the goal is always the same: to build a business that runs smoothly, sustainably, and strategically. Whether you’re formalizing your first operating model or refining one that’s already in motion, scaling isn’t just about how big you can grow - it’s about how well you can operate when you get there.