Standard Operating Procedure: CSO Operating Rhythm — Default
Title: CSO operating rhythm (internal + client) — Default
Version: 1.3
Date: 2026-03-31
Owner: CSO (Gregory Stoutenburg)
Account: Default
1. Purpose
Define a repeatable weekly and daily rhythm so the Brainforge team stays aligned on Default delivery, the client sees steady progress and has structured time to review work and give feedback, and Linear remains an accurate source of truth. Everyone on the delivery roster also shows up in a client-visible Slack channel at least once a week so Default sees the full team and the relationship stays human. The same roster keeps an eye on client-facing Slack and responds or escalates so threads do not sit unanswered when someone on the team can help. This SOP complements client-facing communication playbooks (kick-off / end-of-week / touchpoints); it does not replace them.
Cross-links (vault):
- Slack client updates — playbook guide — headers, CSO voice, channel hygiene.
- Weekly kick-off update SOP — Monday-style client update draft + Slack block.
- End-of-week update SOP — Friday-style client wrap (when used for this account).
2. Scope
- Applies to: Brainforge delivery and CSO coverage for Default (Linear team Default).
- Primary CSO: Greg (backup coverage should follow the same rhythm when Greg is out).
- Out of scope: Exact meeting titles on the client calendar (those follow stakeholder availability); automated Slack sends.
3. Definitions
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Internal weekly sync | Brainforge-only meeting to align on status, risks, and the upcoming client session. |
| Client weekly sync | Standing time with Default to review shipped/in-progress work and collect feedback (see §5.2 for time split). |
| Daily update | Short, written progress note per person: every IC actively on the project and the SL, each business day (see §5.3). |
| IC | Individual contributor assigned to Default delivery work (engineering, analytics, data, etc.). |
| SL | Service Lead — account technical/delivery lead (title may match your roster; same daily update expectation as ICs). |
| Linear hygiene | Same-day updates to status, assignee, dates, and dependencies so the board matches reality. |
| Weekly external touch | At least one client-visible Slack post per calendar week from each person working on Default (see §5.5). |
| Client channel vigilance | Roster members monitor Default’s external Slack channels during the work week and either reply in channel when it is their lane (or they can answer safely) or forward to the CSO for triage and engagement (see §5.6). |
Channels (Slack)
Use names as configured in Slack; vault examples from recent kick-off notes:
#external-client-default— client-visible; wins, priorities, links, scheduling. No internal drama or ticket IDs per slack-client-updates-guide. Everyone on the Default roster should have these channels available and check them at least once per business day (or more if their role requires it).#external-client-default-data-team— tighter loop with Default data stakeholders; still treat as client-adjacent (professional, factual). Same vigilance expectation when someone’s work is tied to this loop.#client-default— internal only. Delivery truth, blockers, frank status. Do not paste into external channels. Use for CSO triage handoffs (link or screenshot + context) when something in an external channel should not be answered cold.
4. Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| CSO | Owns calendar rhythm, runs or delegates internal prep, leads or co-leads client review portion, ensures client Slack updates follow playbook, escalates blockers; meets weekly external touch like any other roster member (kick-off/EOW posts count when they are that week’s post). Triages threads forwarded from the team (tone, timing, commercial risk) and engages or reassigns. |
| EP / delivery lead | Ensures every IC and the SL post daily updates, ensures weekly external touch for the full roster, nudges Linear hygiene, surfaces cross-stream dependencies before the internal sync. Monitors external channels; jumps in when appropriate or forwards to CSO per §5.6. Does not substitute a single roll-up for individual IC/SL internal updates unless CSO explicitly waives for a given day (e.g. PTO). |
| SL (Service Lead) | Posts a daily update in #client-default (coordination, technical risk, unblocking, client-facing prep) even when not hands-on keyboard; at least one post per week in the external channel (§5.5); monitors external channels and replies or escalates to CSO per §5.6; keeps Linear accurate for owned issues. |
| ICs (engineering, analytics, etc.) | Post daily progress each business day they touch the account; at least one post per week in the external channel (§5.5); monitor external channels in their lane; reply when they can do so accurately and on-brand, otherwise forward to CSO (with link/context in #client-default) for triage; update Linear when state changes (at least by EOD for anything that moved); flag blockers in #client-default with a clear ask. |
5. Procedures
5.1 Weekly — internal Brainforge sync (Default)
Cadence: Once per week, before the main client weekly (or immediately prior if back-to-back).
Agenda (target ~20 minutes):
- Linear snapshot — walk in-progress issues by project/workstream (GTM/revenue, customer reporting, product analytics, attribution streams, etc.). Confirm owners and target dates.
- Demo / review prep — what will be shown to the client this week; open questions for them.
- Risks and blockers — access, definitions, data quality, scheduling; decide what is client-safe vs internal-only.
- Client comms — confirm kick-off/EOW/touchpoints for the week; who drafts, who approves, when it posts.
- Weekly external touch — quick pass: who on the roster has not yet posted in
#external-client-defaultthis week (per §5.5); assign nudges before week’s end.
Output: Agreed “story of the week” for the client session and for external Slack; no surprises in #external-client-default.
5.2 Weekly — client sync (Default)
Cadence: Same standing weekly (or as contractually agreed), with a fixed time split:
- ~50% — Review & feedback: Walk through completed or in-progress deliverables (Omni dashboards, exports, PostHog alignment, docs, etc.). Goal: observable artifacts, decisions, and captured feedback.
- ~50% — Forward look: Priorities, dependencies, dates, and asks (access, definitions, meetings). Align with the internal sync outcomes.
CSO role: Facilitate; keep discussion anchored to artifacts and decisions; ensure follow-ups land in Linear and (where appropriate) client-visible Slack.
5.3 Daily — team progress updates
Cadence: Every business day for anyone actively on Default this week.
Who posts: Each IC on the project and the SL — one update per person, not a merged digest from SL/CSO in place of individuals.
Minimum standard:
- ICs: What moved today (1–3 bullets), what’s next, blockers (or “none”). If an IC had no account touch that day, post a one-liner (e.g. “No Default touch today — on [other] / PTO”) so the channel stays complete.
- SL: Same thread discipline: what shifted across streams, technical or dependency risks, what the client needs next, blockers (or “none”). Even on light days, a short status line is enough.
Where: #client-default (internal).
Timing: By end of day in each person’s timezone (or by a time the CSO and EP agree for handoff to US morning).
Why: CSO and EP can brief the client accurately, kick-off drafts match reality, and gaps surface before the weekly client call — without inferring status from silence.
5.4 Daily — Linear review and maintenance
Cadence: Daily (CSO or delegate; often EP + CSO split).
Checklist:
- Scan Default team issues updated in the last 24–48 hours; read comments on hot items.
- Update status, assignee, due dates, and project when work moves; close or split issues that are done or mis-scoped.
- Dependencies — link blocking/blocked relationships; note waiting-on-client vs waiting-on-internal.
- Client-facing dates — ensure anything promised externally has a matching issue state (no “green” in Slack if Linear is red).
Rule of thumb: If it would change how you describe the week to Default, Linear should reflect it the same day.
5.5 Weekly — external channel (relationship)
Purpose: Default sees every Brainforge teammate who is doing work for them, not only the CSO — builds trust and keeps the relationship warm.
Who: Everyone with dedicated or routine Default work this week: ICs, SL, EP (when on the account), and CSO.
Cadence: At least one post per calendar week (Mon–Sun, or align to your team’s “week” if you document it elsewhere).
Channel: Primary surface is #external-client-default. If someone’s client stakeholders live only in #external-client-default-data-team for that week’s work, SL or CSO may confirm that a post there counts for that person’s weekly touch; when in doubt, use #external-client-default.
Content: Follow slack-client-updates-guide: professional, concrete, no Linear ticket IDs, no internal-only detail. A short win, a useful link, a clarifying question, or a “here’s what I’m focused on for you this week” is enough — voice and visibility matter more than length.
Tracking: EP (or SL if no EP) keeps a lightweight check by end of week; anyone who has not posted gets a DM nudge before Friday close.
5.6 Ongoing — client channel monitoring and CSO triage
Expectation: Everyone on the Default roster treats #external-client-default and (when relevant) #external-client-default-data-team as part of the job — not “CSO-only” inboxes.
Cadence: At least once per business day, skim for new messages, @-mentions, and threads that touch your workstreams. Heavier engagement is fine when you are online and the client is active.
When to jump in (external channel):
- The question is in your lane (your code, your dashboard, your data contract, your prior message).
- You can answer accurately and in line with slack-client-updates-guide (no ticket IDs, no internal-only detail, professional tone).
- You are not guessing on commitments, pricing, scope, or politics — if those are in play, see “When to forward” below.
When to forward to CSO (internal handoff):
- Unsure whether a reply is client-safe or could commit Brainforge.
- Cross-stream or account-level topic (priorities, deadlines, stakeholder tension, “why is this late”).
- Sensitive data access, legal/commercial subtext, or anything that feels like it needs relationship judgment.
How to forward: Post in #client-default (internal) with a link to the thread (or clear pointer), one-line summary of what the client asked, and what you need from CSO (e.g. “OK for me to confirm X?” / “Need you to reply re: timeline”). CSO owns triage: reply themselves, coach a draft, or assign someone else to respond in the external channel.
CSO: Acknowledge triage requests within one business day when possible; if the team is waiting on you, say so briefly in #client-default or delegate.
6. Quality checks
- Internal weekly happened before the client weekly (or explicit exception logged in
#client-default). - Client weekly spent ~half on review/feedback and ~half on forward plan.
- Daily updates present from each IC on the project and the SL (or explicit one-liner when no account touch that day).
- Linear board reviewed daily; stale assignees/dates corrected.
- External Slack follows slack-client-updates-guide (no internal-only content, no ticket IDs in client copy).
- Weekly external touch: each person on the Default roster posted at least once in
#external-client-default(or agreed data-team surface per §5.5). - Client channel vigilance: no obvious client threads left hanging without a response path — either answered in channel by the right person or handed to CSO via
#client-defaultper §5.6.
7. Revision history
| Version | Date | Author | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 | 2026-03-31 | CSO | Client channel vigilance: roster monitors external Slack, jumps in or forwards to CSO for triage; §5.6; definitions and responsibilities updated. |
| 1.2 | 2026-03-31 | CSO | Weekly external-channel post required for everyone on the roster (relationship); new §5.5; SL row aligned to Service Lead. |
| 1.1 | 2026-03-31 | CSO | Daily updates required from every IC and the SL; EP roll-up no longer substitutes individual posts except explicit CSO waiver. |
| 1.0 | 2026-03-31 | CSO | Initial SOP from vault context (Default Linear team, Slack channels, existing comms SOPs). |