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

The CTO position is far from being a standard role and set of standard responsibilities. Each company has unique requirements for its CTO and provides a unique organizational structure into which the person will fit. This section describes responsibilities of the CTO. CIOs are being more responsible for the economy, government/regulatory issues, international/political climate, education, workforce, ethics, social issues, and emerging technologies.

First, it is important to outline the skills and competencies of a CTO before we proceed with the complexity of a CTO/CIO role.

Skills and Competencies of an Effective CTO Technology Summary

Technology

The CTO should have been a leader in a technology that is an important part of the corporate business base.

Strategy

The CTO is a corporate executive dealing with strategic decisions about the future direction of the company. The CTO must make the transition from technical expert to business strategists.

Business Growth

CTOs must make decisions about which technologies are most likely to generate the highest rate of return. The CTO thinks about technology as a moneymaking asset, not as a field of exploration for its own sake.

Interpersonal Skills

All executives, including the CTO, must be able to communicate clearly and effectively with people from all types of backgrounds.

Executive Relationships

It is important to insure that CTO is included in the executive decision-making cycle.