Doug Herman - Our COO

I wanted to share some of my story with you here. It begins in the Midwest...

Growing up in the Midwest, my dad taught us to work hard and play even harder. I had my first factory job before I learned to drive, and made the varsity basketball team that same year. I was not blessed with natural size or speed – so in both work and sports, I learned the value of increasing efficiency, eliminating weaknesses, and the value of a team.

Love of learning. I’ve always enjoyed reading, and two books had a lasting impact on me. The first was during my college internship where I read the Goal?” by Eliyahu Goldratt. In Goldratt’s business novel, I learned a process for identifying the limitations (constraints) in a business. I was asked to apply what I had learned as part of my first cross-functional operations team.

Applying the “theory of constraints” became the backbone of my early career. I was hired to relocate and improve manufacturing plants from Virginia and Illinois to new facilities in Columbia, South Carolina.? We supplied parts and products for cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATV’s, and first generation electric vehicles.

While raising a young family, we decided to move closer to home. We re-established roots in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. I assumed larger roles in operations, distribution, engineering, and sales management when introduced to my second influential book - “Get A Grip?” (and subsequently “Traction?”) by Gino Wickman. I learned how Entrepreneurs and CEO’s truly have a Vision for their organizations, and how I, as an Integrator, could use the Six Key Components? to effectively grow our business.?

Integrating ideas.? As I have combined proven concepts from “The Goal” and “Traction” into a leadership practice that felt natural, I have continued to work with leaders and leadership teams to establish a clear vision, while eliminating any constraints. This has been my Integrator Journey.?

COO/Integrator combination. ?As a Chief Operations Officer and Integrator, I have been fortunate to gain alignment with some amazing business leaders. I have worked with incredible families as they have carried a vision from one generation to the next. I have teamed up with other Integrators, Implementors, and fractional professionals to better serve the companies I’ve managed.

Fractional Integrator.? In the latest chapter of my career, I have become a Fractional Integrator and joined Jason Prentice in his fractional-integration firm – Outcomes COO. I love working with Visionaries and their teams to establish, plan, and execute their business goals…WHATEVER THEY MAY BE!