Transitioning from a software architect to a CTO of a fintech company was an interesting experience. It really elevated my view of technology and its role in business. Suddenly, you need to think about budgeting, P&Ls, client satisfaction, company risks, and HR policies. You no longer manage technology directly, but rather people, priorities, and flows of information.
I already had some management experience before, but I doubled down on operational people management, corporate finance, and leadership. Back then, there was no “How to CTO” book, but I believed these skills were expected from a CTO — and I was right. They are the foundation, but along the way I made some specific, important, and surprising realisations that I wanted to share.
You No Longer Have a Boss
In most other positions, even leadership ones, a higher-up usually tells you what to do. Now that you’ve made it to the big table, you don’t really have a boss. You have a CEO, founders, shareholders, committees, etc., but they don’t really know or care about the details of your work.
They can help you set a direction and maybe even some goals, but it’s up to you to figure out how to get there. You have to plan your work yourself, as well as negotiate your way to resources, people, and influence. Nobody will just hand them to you.
Managing Is More Important Than Engineering
At some point, you will face a problem that you can either fix yourself directly or guide and coach your team so they can fix it. Most of the time, you should choose the latter. Unless the problem is urgent and your house is burning down, let your team handle it.
This is how they learn and grow. Have patience and be ready to observe how people struggle with problems you know how to fix easily.
Look for Leverage
As a CTO, your job is to look for more effective and efficient ways to reach company goals. As an engineer, it’s tempting to fix problems by writing code. But you need to realise that a CTO has options.
You can hire someone to write the code, buy a solution, or change the work process to avoid writing code altogether. And instead of figuring everything out by yourself, remember that there are many people in the world who can help you solve these problems — or solve them for you.
Know Your Business
You must have a deep understanding of your industry. And I don’t mean the tech part, but the business itself. Get to know your clients, vendors, and competitors. Attend conferences and read industry reports.
A CTO is also one of the C-level roles that can be involved with any department in the company, so get to know how other departments operate and where you can apply leverage.
Prioritise Your Energy
You cannot pour from an empty cup. Watch your energy levels. Get plenty of rest, exercise, and meaningful time with your family, friends, and loved ones.
Leading people requires you to be in top shape so you can inspire and motivate your teammates. If you’re constantly tired, grumpy, or burned out, your team will feel it. Set up your routine so you regularly devote time to yourself, so you can later help others.
Surround Yourself with People Smarter Than You
Your job as a manager is not to be the most experienced specialist in a particular field, but to deeply understand how your company works and coordinate the efforts of your teams toward a common goal.
Don’t strive to be the best engineer in the room, and don’t be intimidated by people with deeper or more up-to-date technical experience. Watch your personal biases when hiring — for some, it can be difficult to hire candidates who are stronger than you in their respective areas.
Stay Off the Critical Path
I believe technical leaders should do some hands-on work from time to time to avoid losing touch with reality. However, most of your time should be spent on managerial work.
Don’t get in the way of your team delivering important features. Contribute a small feature here and there or implement a PoC, but don’t touch anything that might jeopardise delivery. You might feel you can pull it off, but you can be pulled away by urgent issues at any moment — and your team will have to pick up your unfinished work.
Summary
These things might seem trivial, but some of them I learned from wise teachers, others from painful mistakes. Those mistakes were a short-term source of misery, but they led to long-term professional and personal growth.
I encourage you to learn from my experience, but also to discover your own and share it with others. Grow yourself — and help others grow around you.