In this episode of the Second in Command Podcast, guest host Sivana Brewer sits down with Matthew Rathje, Chief Operating Officer of TrueNorth Companies and long-time member of the COO Alliance.

From starting in payroll and claims management to leading operations for a $165M insurance and professional services firm, Matt shares his journey of scaling from the ground up, balancing structure, culture, and human leadership. He offers practical insights on bringing clarity and accountability to fast-growing organizations, structuring meetings that actually move the needle, and building trust without falling into “artificial harmony.”

Matt also opens up about navigating personal and professional adversity, from weathering the 2020 derecho storm that destroyed his family’s home, to leading through COVID-19, and how those experiences shaped his leadership philosophy rooted in humility, collaboration, and optimism.

Timestamped Highlights

[00:01:20] – Matt’s journey at TrueNorth and how he helped the company grow from a local firm to a $165M organization.

[00:05:16] – Lessons from moving between individual contributor and leadership roles.

[00:07:00] – How TrueNorth’s leadership transition inspired a more unified executive vision.

[00:09:20] – Preparing to step into the COO role and finding mentors in the process.

[00:10:44] – Why Matt joined the COO Alliance and what he learned from peers in other industries.

[00:13:00] – Building clarity and accountability through RIMs and RIOs (Relatable Impact Metrics & Objectives).

[00:15:00] – Starting TrueNorth’s organizational health journey with Patrick Lencioni’s Table Group.

[00:17:34] – How Lencioni’s framework helped the team prioritize what’s most important right now.

[00:18:46] – Team effectiveness workshops and how vulnerability-based trust builds healthy organizations.

[00:20:35] – How to identify “artificial harmony” and address it before it erodes team commitment.

[00:24:32] – Balancing collaboration with decisive leadership.

[00:26:03] – Structuring meetings for clarity, speed, and results.

[00:29:40] – How personal adversity (a devastating storm) strengthened Matt’s leadership perspective.

[00:33:54] – Leading with empathy, gratitude, and perspective through crisis.

[00:38:52] – Building trust and vulnerability across teams.

[00:40:31] – Strengthening the CEO-COO relationship and defining complementary strengths.

[00:42:42] – Using Vivid Vision to align the entire company around purpose and feeling.

[00:46:14] – Launching The TrueNorth Way: the company’s roadmap for a world-class client experience.

Resources & Mentions

The Apple Experience by Carmine Gallo
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
Meetings Suck by Cameron Herold
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni (and the related Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team framework)

About the Guest

Matthew Rathje is the Chief Operating Officer of TrueNorth Companies, a Midwest-based insurance and professional services firm dedicated to protecting and maximizing its clients’ assets, resources, and opportunities.

Since joining TrueNorth over a decade ago,...

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