TLDR:
- Effective tech leadership is about aligning teams and expectations, like planning the perfect birthday party.
- Apply Warren Buffett’s simple philosophy: understand, assess value, and invest wisely.
- Mentorship creates a ripple effect, potentially changing lives and industries.
Listen to my interview with Joe Dimino.
Making People Play Nice Together: A CTO’s Perspective
90% of the tech failures aren’t about code but misalignment and miscommunication.
Imagine explaining my job to a third-grader. It’s like planning the perfect birthday party. You know exactly what you want: the right balloons, a chocolate cake, and throwing a football in the yard with your friends.
But here’s what often happens in the tech world (and birthday parties gone wrong):
- Your buddy brings balloons, but they’re the wrong colors and sizes.
- The person in charge of the football brings a baseball instead, thinking you just wanted to play catch.
- Instead of a chocolate cake, you end up with a bag of brownies.
You’ll still have a party, but it’s not the one you envisioned.
This is precisely what happens in many tech projects when teams aren’t aligned.
My job? I’m the party planner (CTO) who ensures everyone agrees on what the party should be like and that it happens as planned. In the tech world, this means:
- Clearly defining project goals and expectations.
- Ensuring all team members understand their roles and responsibilities.
- Facilitating communication between different departments.
- Aligning technology decisions with business objectives.
No fancy jargon is needed—just clear communication, shared goals, and a dash of diplomacy. It’s about getting people to play nice together and work towards a common vision. Read about The CTO you need.
My questions for you: what’s your go-to strategy for aligning teams on complex projects? How do you ensure everyone’s on the same page?
The Warren Buffett Approach to Tech Investment
“I’m interested in buying good companies that do something I can understand, at a price that makes sense for what they do.” – Warren Buffett.
This philosophy isn’t just for stock pickers. It’s gold for tech leaders, too.
In a world of AI hype and ‘unicorn’ chasing, Buffett’s approach cuts through the noise:
- Understand the business
- Assess its real value
- Invest wisely
As a CTO, I’ve seen too many companies throw money at trendy tech without understanding the fundamentals. It rarely ends well.
Before your next big tech investment, ask:
- Do we truly understand what this does for our business?
- Is the cost justified by the value it brings?
- Are we investing in substance or hype?
What are your criteria for tech investments? Let’s discuss.
Read about: Get your tech investment worth the penny.
From Mentee to Mentor: The Ripple Effect in Tech Leadership
The best moment in my career? It wasn’t landing a big client or a successful product launch.
It was seeing someone I once mentored become a CTO in their own right.
That’s the power of giving back. It creates a ripple effect that can change lives and industries.
Recently, I advised an ed-tech startup. We found an innovative funding route through corporate social responsibility programs. Result? The CEO is now deploying education solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa, impacting children who might never have had these opportunities.
It started with a simple email connection. It ended with a potentially life-changing education for underprivileged kids.
Leadership isn’t just about your success. It’s about creating opportunities for others to succeed.
A True CTO’s Responsibility: The next generation
I don’t see a CTO’s role in writing code or playing with the latest gadgets. It’s about aligning teams, making wise investments, and nurturing the next generation of leaders.
