The CTO Handbook/Job Manual: A Wealth of Reference Material and Thought Leadership on What Every Manager Needs to Know to Lead Their Technology Team

1. Where is technology heading? What does the future look like?

2. What are your special skills? What do you do best with respect to technology?

3. If you could successfully create any new technology in the world, what would it do?

4. What areas/industries are poised for or best suited for technology growth?

5. What could become the next "killer application"?

6. How is the way we use technology going to change in the next five years?

7. How will businesses use technology differently in the future?

8. How will consumers use technology differently in the future?

9. What is the best piece of technology advice you have received?

10. What is the piece of technology advice you find yourself most often giving others?

11. How do you use technology as a strategic weapon and to create a sustainable competitive advantage?

12. The technology industry changes everyday (in terms of products/services created, skills needed, etc.). What is your strategy for dealing with change in the industry?

13. How do you use technology to keep your organization technologically nimble?

14. What are some of the biggest opportunities and challenges the wireless industry presents?

15. What are some of the biggest opportunities and challenges other areas of technology face?

16. How should your company use technology(ies) to give your company an edge over your competitors?

17. What are some of the biggest privacy issues from a technology standpoint?

18. What is the difference between cool technologies and technologies that solve problems and can make money?

19. How do you sell yourself, your product, your vision (from a technology standpoint)?

20. How do you do due diligence from a technology standpoint on a company?

21. How important are taking risks/taking the right ones from a technology standpoint? Which are the right ones to take?

22. What do you respect or impresses you most about technology leaders?

23. What technology resources do you have that could give you an edge in the marketplace?

24. What does it take to become a technology leader (as an individual/company)?

25. How do you/your technology go about getting noticed?

26. What are the best skills to have as a technology person?

27. What do you do to stay on top of your technology knowledge and keep your edge?

28. How do you find the right technology people?

29. What resources in the technology industry (not just technical skills) are in the most demand right now? What additional technology skills would be the best to know?

30. What are your short and long term goals with respect to technology/your technology career?

31. What are the golden rules of technology?

What Ifs:

1. What is our worst case scenario from a human resources standpoint? How would I handle it?

2. What is our best case scenario from a human resources standpoint? How would I handle it?

3. What if I am out sick/on vacation? Who would cover for me and are they prepared?

4. Who is my most valuable employee? What happens if I lose this person? Who would replace him/her?

5. What if I am promoted and asked to name my successor? Who would it be?

6. What if my boss quits? How can I prepare to efficiently start helping with some of his/her old responsibilities?

7. What if I have a problem with my boss? How would I handle it?

8. What cross training/job rotating has been done so that each person has a backup if someone is out sick/they leave the company?

9. Who are the key contacts my employees have that we need to make sure we retain good relations with if they leave our company?

10. What if we were hit with a discrimination lawsuit? How would I/we handle it?

11. What if one of my employees is injured on the job?

12. Are my interviewing questions appropriate and thorough? Are there any questions I ask that are inappropriate or illegal to ask?

13. How would I rapidly increase staffing if we landed a big client and needed to hire people very quickly?

14. What if I had to rapidly reduce staff? Who would be the first one(s) to let go?

15. What if I find out one of my employees has been engaging in unethical or illegal business activities?

16. What if one of my employees quits? What is the proper exit procedure?

17. What happens if I lose _________(Insert name here)? Who would replace him/her?

18. Other questions to ask myself: