Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs! In this episode, you'll learn how to communicate effectively as a CTO, master nonverbal cues, build trust with your team, and handle crises with clear communication. Timestamps: [04:45] The impact of mismatched communication cues   [06:10] Understanding your audience as a technology leader   [07:25] Why tone matters in delivering important messages   [08:45] Using nonverbal cues like eye contact and body language   [10:20]...

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs! Gareth Thomas is a seasoned CTO with over 25 years of experience building and leading tech teams. In this episode, you're going to learn why Gareth decided to step away from coding to focus on leadership, his strategies for creating high-performing teams without burning out engineers, the biggest mistake tech leaders make when managing people, how empathy plays a crucial role in leading tech teams and why promoting from...

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs! Zach Goldberg is a seasoned CTO and author of “The Startup CTO's Handbook”. In this episode, you're going to learn the key lessons Zach gained from leading multiple startup engineering teams, common mistakes CTOs make when managing growth, how to build a culture of continuous learning and high performance, why external thought leadership matters for tech leaders, and much more. Zach Goldberg is an executive coach, the author...

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs! Thorgeir Einarsson is a seasoned CEO and advisor who has helped hundreds of tech startups secure funding and navigate acquisitions. In this episode, you're going to learn why CTOs play a crucial role in fundraising and M&A deals, common mistakes CTOs make that can kill a deal, the importance of transparency during technical due diligence, how AI is changing the expectations for tech leaders, and why a CTO’s communication...

In this episode, Adam talks about how to create a strong engineering strategy and prioritize creating roadmaps that align with company goals while effectively communicating your strategy to the entire team. Timestamps: [02:19] Aligning the engineering strategy with company goals   [06:00] Creating a roadmap for the engineering strategy [13:40] Building a process roadmap   [24:03] Prioritizing and executing the engineering strategy  Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with...

In this episode, Adam and Todd talk about why tech and product leaders need to expand their roles in today's market, why many startups struggle with tech debt and product debt, how AI is reshaping the responsibilities of engineers and CTOs, what the future holds for fractional CTO roles, and what Todd thinks about the shifting demands on tech leaders and the future of the CTO role. Todd is an experienced CPTO now doing fractional work, startup advisory, and working on his own SaaS platform....

Magnus Lenngren is an engineering leader and a three-time unicorn builder. In this episode, you'll find out how to scale remote-first engineering teams effectively, the key challenges leaders face when growing teams quickly, the biggest mistakes to avoid during hypergrowth, why strong company culture is critical in scaling, and how to keep employees engaged and productive in a remote setting. Magnus is an experienced CTO and Director of Engineering, skilled at scaling engineering teams,...

Zoe Cunningham is a director at Softwire and author of Networking Know-How. In this episode, you will learn what most people get wrong about networking and why it’s so misunderstood. Zoe talks about simple ways to build genuine connections without feeling awkward, how introverts can excel at networking with the right approach, how to prepare for networking events to make them more enjoyable, and why investing in networking now pays off in the long run. Zoe Cunningham is an award-winning...

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs! In this episode, Adam interviews Adem Bilican, the CTO at Relai, the App, about Bitcoin's value and its potential as a global currency. Adem discusses the technological advancements in Bitcoin, such as the Lightning Network, and offers insights into overcoming barriers to adoption. Adem Bilican, is the co-founder and CTO at Relai, Europe's number one Bitcoin app. We provide an app for your mobile phone that users can use to...

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to learn more about how to be a great CTO! In this episode, Adam discusses how CTOs can transition from firefighting to strategic leadership by following a structured, disciplined approach. Timestamps: 5:19 Create time blocks for strategic work to avoid constant firefighting. 9:51 Build trust by empowering your team through delegation. 16:07 Focus on documenting why and how, not just what, to improve processes. 23:38 Block off time for your top...

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to learn more about how to be a great CTO. In this episode, Adam interviews Dipak Mistry, a senior architect with 25 years of experience. Dipak shares his structured approach to presentations, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, conflict and resolution, and a clear narrative to make technical information more relatable and engaging. Dipak Mistry helps small, medium and corporates business's grow and become efficiently sustainable by aiming to...

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to learn more about how to be a leader! In this episode, Adam interviews Carol Palombini, a psychologist and leadership coach specializing in psychological safety. Carol offers insights on how fostering psychological safety can drive team innovation and what leaders can do to create safe, effective work environments. Carol Palombini is a seasoned Psychologist and Tech Leadership Coach. Her passion lies in being a catalyst for transformation among tech...

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to learn more about the five-step playbook! In this episode, Adam dives into the challenges of transitioning from a technical leader to a strategic CTO, outlining a five-step playbook to help navigate this journey successfully. He also shares insights on overcoming common obstacles and embracing a leadership mindset. Timestamps: 8:45 Make fewer decisions by delegating responsibilities. 12:33 Adopt a learning mindset for your new role. 18:47 Learn the...

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to learn more about empathic, dynamic reteaming! In this episode, Adam interviews Daniel Walters, a seasoned CTO coach and consultant. Daniel shares his experiences on leading change within organizations, focusing on collaboration, dynamic reteaming, and the emotional impact of restructuring. Daniel Walters is a Technology Strategy Consultant and CTO coach based in Auckland, New Zealand. With over 25 years of experience in technology leadership across...

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to learn more about startups and scale ups! In this episode, Adam interviews John Broome, a seasoned product leader with over 20 years of experience. John shares insights on generative AI, collaboration between CTOs and CPOs, and the importance of being customer-centric in product management. John Broome is a product and operations practitioner having worked in customer service, development, sales, marketing and project management for the past 20 years....

If you are finding this podcast helpful, please rate and review so other CTO's can join the conversation. In this episode, Adam explores the different types and stages of a CTO's journey, offering insights and practical strategies to help you identify your strengths and align with your organization's needs. Timestamps: 3:15 Understand the stages of CTO growth. 4:30 Determine what type of CTO your organization needs now. 7:20 Assess your strengths and weaknesses using a SWOT analysis. 10:24...

In this episode, Adam speaks with Andy Skipper, the founder of CTO Craft and a seasoned CTO coach. Andy delves into the benefits of coaching for new CTOs, the growth of the CTO Craft community, as well as offers advice for navigating leadership challenges. CTO Craft helps thousands of CTOs and Senior Engineering Leaders build skills, experience and resilience, to survive the pressures and demands of the most senior technology role in modern business, as well as provide real commercial impact...

In this episode, Adam interviews Warren Beazley, a seasoned CTO recruiter, about how tech leaders can effectively communicate their professional identity and attract ideal clients. Warren shares insights into leveraging LinkedIn for networking, strategic job searching, and the importance of personal branding. Based in the UK, Warren is one of the best CTO recruiters, even going by the tagline "The CTO Recruiter". Warren has been hiring CTOs since 1997 and has an extensive network, a proven...

In this episode, Adam interviews Steven Renwick, who dives deep into the relationship between the CEO and CTO in early-stage startups. Steven shares his journey with Adam at Satago, emphasizing the importance of vision alignment and efficient software deployment. Steven Renwick is a British technology entrepreneur living in Berlin, with a unique combination of experience in healthcare, fintech and technology. He is a product-focused CEO/founder with a passion for building businesses that...

Welcome to the CTO Playbook! I'm Adam Horner, your host, with over 30 years in the tech industry and more than a decade as a CTO. In this podcast, we cover essential topics, strategies, and practical advice to help CTOs excel. Join me as we explore my journey, share insights from industry leaders, and build your unique CTO playbook. Whether you're navigating the rapid changes in technology or handling growing responsibilities, you're not alone. Tune in for valuable resources, community...