Start with the handoff the mandate must improve

I would start a conversation about an operating mandate with the promise the network is trying to keep and the handoff that makes it difficult. Please describe the business scale, the reporting relationship and the decisions the COO would be expected to own. I would want to understand how shops, central operations, buying and finance work together, and whether the role can fund an improvement whose benefit and cost fall in different places. An outside board enquiry should explain the intended contribution, time and relationships requiring assessment before restricted information is exchanged. My own first appointment would require further preparation and a realistic capacity review. Initial discussion can use a non-confidential description of the operating question; detailed stock files or supplier terms are not necessary to establish whether the proposed responsibility is a sensible fit.