2026 is here, and many companies are reworking their corporate strategy to prepare for what’s ahead. As COO, you can play a huge part in that strategy. An innovative approach to operations can give your company a competitive edge while utilizing all the modern business landscape has to offer.

Here are some ways you can drive your company forward.

Gaining Strategic Influence

COOs will have more say in corporate strategy if they actively participate in decision-making. They can do this by:

• Establishing Monthly or Quarterly Sessions: They may hold sessions with other company leaders to develop and review data-backed strategic options to assess their potential to move the company forward.
• Co-Authoring the Strategic Plan: COOs should demand involvement in strategic planning from day one.
• Communicating to the Board: Plans should be transmitted directly to the board in language that appeals to board leaders, such as ROI, risk, customer value growth, and KPIs.

Strategies That Stand Out for 2026

Here are some strategies that will stand out given the current business landscape.

AI & Automation as Part of the Operations Roadmap

AI and automation are valuable for demand forecasting, inventory management, scheduling, workforce planning, and anomaly prediction that may affect quality or production. When presenting the use of technology to the board, discuss how it can improve efficiency using case studies and statistics.

Real-Time Operations Data

Real-time data means you’re seeing events as they happen, allowing you to adjust decisions and actions accordingly. It typically lives within existing systems such as order management, warehouse and logistics, and CRMs. In addition to improving business, it can help you introduce strategies with greater insight.

Resilience and Supply Chain as Competitive Strategies

Given the current political climate, aligning with the right suppliers could be the most competitive strategy yet. Diversity is integral to ensuring companies can pivot when suppliers are affected by sociopolitical, economic, and environmental factors. Resilience heatmaps can play a critical role in this strategy, using color coding to indicate the likelihood of supply chain disruptions.

Embrace Sustainability

Sustainability may not be enforced as strategically these days, but companies that embrace it can save money and ensure compliance with locally enforced standards. In presenting your plans, go beyond how an eco-friendly strategy lowers costs and emissions. Emphasize how it can give you a competitive edge in certain markets.

Redesign Operations to Meet Hybrid and Distributed Workflows

In the modern business landscape, teams are spread out, with some working from home and others operating in a local, regional, or centralized setting. You can excel in this format by setting up small, interdisciplinary teams set up to deliver specific customer value. Tools like shared platforms can also aid with company-wide communication.

Build an Integrated Planning Process

Today’s evolving business markets demand updated strategies every quarter, but the idea isn’t to reinvent the wheel. Instead, leaders, including COOs, should devise flexible plans that can easily adjust to market changes. While planning ahead is essential, strategies should be updated regularly, considering live KPIs, resource shifts, and progress dashboards.

Build a Small Ops Strategy and Analytics Team Inside Your Department

Corporate planning is one part of the equation, but you must also continue to market within your department. Build a 3–5-person team of individuals who will gather data and report to you regarding market shifts and trends. The main goal is to determine ways to hit your yearly goal while impressing the board with local insights.

Get Ahead of Regulations

Given the complexity of the geopolitical landscape and its impact on operations, COOs may want to get ahead of changes by collaborating with legal and compliance teams. These teams can map which operations, suppliers, and facilities are prone to risks. You can use that information to identify backup vendors to avoid disruptions.

Co-Own 2-3 Signature Initiatives

You won’t be able to claim ownership of your entire corporate strategy, but taking accountability for a few initiatives can help you maintain control, ensure your department runs smoothly, and put you in a favorable light with other corporate leaders. When choosing these initiatives, consider which are in your wheelhouse. For example, an AI transformation, or a sustainability and resilience program, can be built in operations from the ground up, benefiting the company over time.

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