For anyone aiming to become a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) that means working out how to build the technical, strategic, and leadership skills to stay relevant and in demand throughout their career. If technology is constantly changing, and one innovation is replacing another, how do you know where to place the right bets in terms of what to learn?

Having been in the technology industry for some time now, I believe there are some core truths that will help you to achieve a durable career even in a field where change and uncertainty go hand in hand.

1. Know the basics: while it could be attractive to jump on the latest bandwagon of learning a particular coding language, it is far better to build an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of how IT systems work. There are very few coding languages that last – COBOL, C to name a couple – so it’s important to get under the hood. Take AI. Back in 2016, I wrote an article asking whether we should fear AI. At that time, looking at the compute resources available, it was clear AI was not ready to disrupt. Today, we have the necessary compute capacity to enable AI functionality and we are seeing its rapid adoption. Every ‘game-changer’ sounds shiny at first. Your job is to strip it down: how does it really work, what does it really need, and can today’s tech actually enable its delivery?

2. Embrace your inner laziness: this is not to insult engineers and technologists, after all I am one. We should embrace the simple reality that the purpose of technology is to enable new ways of working – essentially expend less effort doing tasks. If you want to work in tech, know that your job is to understand how we can make processes and people more efficient and more productive with better quality products. If a technology cannot do this, why are you considering it?

3. Context is key: if you are presented with a new technology, it is vital to spend time understanding what it is and consider how it could be applied to your IT environment. Too often, tech is adopted that is still looking for a problem to solve. You should know your IT environment inside out, what the challenges are and where you could see the latest innovation delivering value to your organisation. If you are looking to adopt a technology that does not fit into your context then don’t let FOMO drive you to adopt it.

4. Show empathy for your fellow humans:  I often think that studying psychology would be a good building block for a career as a CTO. You need to understand people, how they think, how they behave, and why they engage (or don’t) with new tools.  Adopting technology successfully isn’t about chasing the latest shiny object; it’s about empathy. You need to understand the daily challenges people face and design solutions that truly meet their needs.

5. Be better at asking questions. As a CTO you are often faced with the mantra: “Do more with less.” What does that mean? What particular problem do you need to solve?  Getting to the nub of the issue requires rigorous, scientific questioning. I would even suggest doing a course in philosophy to arm yourself with a far deeper understanding of the “Why?” you’re being asked to do something. It may feel excessive, but the projects that face the toughest scrutiny usually end up with the strongest foundations.

6. This job has never really been about coding. Don’t get me wrong, at least 20-25% of the job is about translating what people want into code, but realistically with increased automation and AI, it could become even less of a priority moving forward. Where the CTO will become more crucial is in building the precise narrative that explains the purpose of any technology project, and the reason for adopting innovation. The goal should be to create a tight description to educate stakeholders, keep the project on track against metrics and ensure a good outcome.

It is difficult with the constant flow of technology news to remain focused. There is always a temptation to go down a rabbit hole in pursuit of the latest hot trend, but success as a CTO is built around knowing certain principles don’t change. Armed with this information, it is far easier to remain immune to the hype and build a more measured approach to technology adoption.

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