{"id":4159,"date":"2020-09-02T10:18:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-02T08:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.codemotion.com\/magazine\/?p=4159"},"modified":"2020-09-24T17:03:59","modified_gmt":"2020-09-24T15:03:59","slug":"cto-musthave-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.codemotion.com\/magazine\/dev-life\/cto\/cto-musthave-skills\/","title":{"rendered":"A CTO In the Making: What Skills Should You Have?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\"><br \/>\n  if (typeof fz === \"function\")<br \/>\n    fz(\"event\", {<br \/>\n        \"name\": \"CTO-NL-whatskillscto\",<br \/>\n        \"value\": \"10\",<br \/>\n        \"unit\": \"euro\"<br \/>\n    });<br \/>\n<\/script><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-table-of-contents uagb-toc__align-left uagb-toc__columns-1  uagb-block-3e3c8c65      \"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-scroll= \"1\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-offset= \"30\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTable Of Contents\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__list-wrap \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#the-long-road-to-becoming-a-cto\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">The long road to becoming a CTO<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#forging-your-path-to-becoming-a-cto\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Forging your path to becoming a CTO<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#leadership-is-key-but-what-is-the-key-to-leadership\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Leadership is key, but what is the key to leadership?<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#solid-educational-background\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Solid educational background<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#who-does-the-cto-speak-to-within-a-company\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Who does the CTO speak to within a company?<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#tactical-cto-vs-strategic-cto\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Tactical CTO Vs Strategic CTO<\/a><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<div class=\"uagb-cta__outer-wrap uagb-block-951281ca\"><div class=\"uagb-cta__content-wrap uagb-cta__block uagb-cta__icon-position-below-title \"><div class=\"uagb-cta__left-right-wrap\"><div class=\"uagb-cta__content\"><div class=\"uagb-cta__title-wrap\"><h3 class=\"uagb-cta__title\">Remain focused on your career path<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uagb-cta-text-wrap\"><p class=\"uagb-cta__desc\">If you want to be prepared to make the right decisions at the right time for your career path it&#8217;s vital that you comprehend your wants and needs as well as all the options in front of you. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to keep reading our developer career-focused contents as they get published!<\/p><\/div><div class=\"uagb-cta__link-wrapper uagb-cta__block-link-style\"><div class=\"uagb-cta__button-wrapper wp-block-button\"><a data-fz-event=\"CTO-NL-whatskillscto\" href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3aVzd27\" class=\"uagb-cta__button-link-wrapper wp-block-button__link\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"uagb-cta__link-content-inner\"><span>SUBSCRIBE NOW<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The long road to becoming a CTO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.codemotion.com\/magazine\/dev-hub\/cto\/how-to-become-cto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chief Technology Officer<\/a>, or <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-bceb12ce\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_technology_officer\">CTO<\/span>, is a <strong>C-level<\/strong> position found within the third layer of a complete <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-de2501bf\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/organizational_chart\">organizational chart<\/span>. Following the <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-da9bb283\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/president\">President<\/span> and <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-9a3cf9f6\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_executive_officer\">CEO<\/span>, a CTO is at the same level as other C-level managers such as the <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-93a43e93\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_information_officer\">CIO<\/span> (<span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-7506ba7d\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_information_officer\">Chief Information Officer<\/span>),  <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-95f6463e\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_security_officer\">CSO<\/span> (<span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-b34869c1\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_security_officer\">Chief Security Officer<\/span>) and  <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-fed2657a\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_financial_officer\">CFO<\/span> (<span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-f5d49376\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_financial_officer\">Chief Financial Officer<\/span>). There are other C-level positions of course, but they are not relevant to the focus of this article, so won&#8217;t be discussed here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all C-level executives are created equal. Some report directly to the <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-2d3e4fdb\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_executive_officer\">CEO<\/span> while others don&#8217;t. In a large <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-fb2974b2\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/organization\">organization<\/span>, the <strong><span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-7497e442\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_technology_officer\">CTO<\/span> <\/strong>may not be in direct contact with higher-ranked executives, unlike the <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-20da009f\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_information_officer\">CIO<\/span> and <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-abda1897\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_financial_officer\">CFO<\/span>. Consequently, the latter positions normally receive a higher salary than a CTO does. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the CTO could jump into the role of <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-dfcdd794\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_executive_officer\">CEO<\/span> position much more easiky than the <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-6f7d589d\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_information_officer\">CIO<\/span>.<br>On average, becoming a CTO takes around 24 years from the completion of <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-53d8c5af\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/higher_education\">higher education<\/span>. According to a recent study by <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" style=\"user-select: auto;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.agil8.com\/blog\/path-to-cto\/#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Agil8<\/a>, this usually means having worked in four different companies for a period of one to five years each, holding a total of eight positions during this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CTO skills: what should a CTO be good at?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A CTO needs to be familiar with all relevant <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-1d3dfda4\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/technology\">technology trends<\/span> and technological infrastructures, and be ready to deploy them within his or her <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-d3d81746\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/company\">company<\/span>. Extensive <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-21ca8604\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/knowledge\">knowledge<\/span>, a fine-grained sensitivity to the human aspects of all <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-1f32b0c6\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/business_process\">process<\/span> deployments, and deep understanding of <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-1934e785\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/business\">business<\/span> considerations are also essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The requisite <strong><span id=\"urn:enhancement-1b51524b\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/knowledge\">knowledge<\/span> <\/strong>base is developed via a thorough <strong><span id=\"urn:enhancement-893846f6\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/inclusion_education\">education<\/span> <\/strong>and long <span id=\"urn:enhancement-f26644dd\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\"><strong>experience<\/strong><\/span>. As a result, a CTO is never taken by surprise by a disruption in an area directly related to the company&#8217;s core <span id=\"urn:enhancement-49a028cd\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/business\">business<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why a CTO is more likely to become a <span id=\"urn:enhancement-e7691b42\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_executive_officer\">CEO<\/span> than other C-level executives, as previously mentioned. Many variables are involved in leading a CTO to eventually becoming a <span id=\"urn:enhancement-c2f574fd\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_executive_officer\">CEO<\/span>, including being in the right place at the right moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is just to clarify that not every CTO should expect their <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-55fd8fa2\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/career\">career<\/span> to culminate in a <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-be6067f1\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/chief_executive_officer\">CEO<\/span> position, but if this is something you are aiming for in the long term, you should start by focusing on three very important aspects: building your <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-282b014b\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/work_experience\">work<\/span> experience, updating top pro CTO <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-c3ea1372\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/skill\">skills<\/span>, and a solid educational background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[jwp-video n=&#8221;1&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Forging your path to becoming a CTO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A <a aria-label=\"undefined (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.codemotion.com\/magazine\/articles\/stories\/the-lifecycle-of-the-developers-career\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">traditional career path<\/a> may lead you to a CTO role over a long period of time, but this is not a bad thing. During that time, you\u2019ll be able to explore, experiment and <span id=\"urn:enhancement-33031d92\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/learning\">learn<\/span> &#8211; over and over again, in different areas and with different <span id=\"urn:enhancement-63af86ed\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/people\">people<\/span>. The cumulative value of these <span id=\"urn:enhancement-f1874e29\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\">experiences<\/span> will make you a better CTO, without a doubt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nonetheless, many people nowadays take the shortest path to taking on the role of CTO. For instance, you could become a CTO more quickly if you work for small <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-58217670\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/company\">companies<\/span>. It is becoming increasingly common for small firms and start-ups to allow developers to <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-a2855fbe\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/learning\">learn<\/span> <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-81368a2\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/employment\">their job<\/span> as a CTO as they go, through a mixture of field <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-de8e89b9\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\">experience<\/span> and access to professional courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For this reason, it is becoming increasingly common to see CTOs in their 30s rather than in their 40s, as used to be standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some <span id=\"urn:enhancement-55497d01\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/people\">people<\/span> are born with a natural <span id=\"urn:enhancement-35ce9a20\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/self-confidence\">self-confidence<\/span>, the ability to cope with pressure and stress, and a flair for <span id=\"urn:enhancement-b20151be\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/interpersonal_relationship\"><strong>human relationships<\/strong><\/span> and <strong><span id=\"urn:enhancement-fa1c5a05\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/team\">team<\/span> management<\/strong>. Others develop these skills through <span id=\"urn:enhancement-74b65564\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\">experience<\/span>. In the end, it\u2019s really up to you to choose the path that suits you best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are no fixed rules; nevertheless, we can agree on three basic pathways to building your work <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-7a500a63\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\">experience<\/span> in order to become a CTO. You can start as the CTO of SMB (small and medium <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-2e603bc0\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/business\">businesses<\/span>), acquire a lot of different <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-3a1c9fdd\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/industry\">industry<\/span> <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-d97f6ab5\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\">experience<\/span>, or <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-77c9e1d\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/economic_development\">develop<\/span> a <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-42047b8c\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/strategy\">strategic<\/span> professional network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.codemotion.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/cto-3-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"chief technology officer\" class=\"wp-image-8428\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Becoming CTO of a start-up or small company<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you already work for a small <span id=\"urn:enhancement-42f2e3f6\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/company\">company<\/span>, let your <span id=\"urn:enhancement-a521794b\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/team\">team<\/span> <span id=\"urn:enhancement-5c8e714a\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/knowledge\">know<\/span> that you feel ready to work as CTO. If you&#8217;re not already in this area, let start-ups <span id=\"urn:enhancement-49036080\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/knowledge\">know<\/span> about your skills and experience by leveraging online networking opportunities. Start with personalizing your <span id=\"urn:enhancement-5ef9e27\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-organization\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/linkedin\">LinkedIn<\/span> profile, indicating your <span id=\"urn:enhancement-7316983b\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/career\">career<\/span> goals together with your current <span id=\"urn:enhancement-ad55a574\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\">experience<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Within <span id=\"urn:enhancement-e05be11\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-organization\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/linkedin\">LinkedIn<\/span>, reach out to start-up founders and try to get in touch with professionals in other fields. A good starting point for this is to join <span id=\"urn:enhancement-5c8a9c3d\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-organization\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/linkedin\">LinkedIn<\/span> groups and <span id=\"urn:enhancement-27509705\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/company\">companies<\/span> dedicated to start-ups. You never <span id=\"urn:enhancement-d1389394\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/knowledge\">know<\/span> &#8211; you may even find your next <span id=\"urn:enhancement-f262718c\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/employment\">employer<\/span> or your own start-up partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span id=\"urn:enhancement-a844730a\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/facebook\">Facebook<\/span> too can be of some use as there are many <span id=\"urn:enhancement-23da058f\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/software_as_a_service\">SaaS<\/span> and start-up Groups available to join. Keep an eye on ProductHunt too, as a valuable source of information and recruiting opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be prepared for one downside if you choose the fast track; you will have to deal with high levels of responsibility, <strong><span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-d444bac8\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/strategy\">strategic<\/span> <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-4e7325b9\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/decision-making\">decision-making<\/span><\/strong> and simultaneously juggling numerous other tasks immediately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The overall <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-6369892c\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\">experience<\/span> can be a career landmark: some can cope and use this <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-102065c6\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\">experience<\/span> to <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-7713582f\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/learning\">learn<\/span> fast and progress their <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-34850337\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/career\">career<\/span>. Others sink under the pressure and may even give up on their aspirations to become a CTO, thinking they are not fitfor the post. Usually, it&#8217;s simply that they were not ready for this role just yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CTO Skills: great experience means a long time in big companies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The article posted by Agilent in 2017 is based on the <strong><span id=\"urn:enhancement-79ecc45b\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/career\">careers<\/span> <\/strong>of 8 CTOs of some of the world&#8217;s most important ICT firms. The results of their study were not representative of a pattern for success, but rather of what CTO candidates should have done and accomplished before taking on the role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Six of the CTOs analysed had worked for more than three <span id=\"urn:enhancement-c198f5dc\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/company\">companies<\/span> and had held between four and seven roles before reaching their CTO positions. Seven were aged 39-47 when they took the position, only one was younger (27).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The need for more <span id=\"urn:enhancement-6773f013\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\">experience<\/span> is understandable: CTOs not only need a deep understanding of <span id=\"urn:enhancement-e54674ff\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/technology\">technology<\/span>, but also have to be familiar with different areas of <span id=\"urn:enhancement-435c593d\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/business\">business<\/span> such as <span id=\"urn:enhancement-1b7f2828\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/promotion_marketing\">marketing<\/span>, <span id=\"urn:enhancement-4d5eac5d\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/sales\">sales<\/span>, and finance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, considering that each <span id=\"urn:enhancement-8d1c02c5\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/company\">company<\/span> has its own way of doing things, having worked for several firms results in a wider and more solid <span id=\"urn:enhancement-3a081670\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\">experience<\/span> base, as well as in being more adaptable to changes in <span id=\"urn:enhancement-43fed62d\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/market_economics\">market<\/span> conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result, experienced professionals who become CTOs are generally both more visionary and more pragmatic at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Develop a professional network to build trust<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many small firms still don&#8217;t understand the importance of being part of global <span id=\"urn:enhancement-777a6a3\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/community\">communities<\/span> as a way to build their <span id=\"urn:enhancement-b28dd43a\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/knowledge\">knowledge<\/span> base and <span id=\"urn:enhancement-24ef4f9f\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/business\">business<\/span> network. Being part of a global community is a must for any would-be CTO from the early stages of their <span id=\"urn:enhancement-3f7f2a2c\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/career\">career<\/span> onwards (ideally, you should start while still a student).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Listening to many professionals from different fields and places helps when it comes to pioneering the best <span id=\"urn:enhancement-2841325e\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/technology\">technologies<\/span>. At the same time, being part of a team or community can be your best <span id=\"urn:enhancement-fd4c12c\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/business\">business<\/span> card when you want to <span id=\"urn:enhancement-5b2b22fe\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/promotion_marketing\">promote<\/span> yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t stop there, though; what you really need is trust. Use forums and <span id=\"urn:enhancement-82a94430\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/community\">communities<\/span> to share knowledge and help others, leveraging your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.codemotion.com\/magazine\/dev-hub\/cto\/hone-what-skills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CTO <span id=\"urn:enhancement-7579331d\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/skill\">skills<\/span><\/a> and <span id=\"urn:enhancement-aaad5a13\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/knowledge\">knowledge<\/span> to be seen as a prominent member of your network. Don&#8217;t neglect work on your own projects &#8211; give presentations and share your ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of this, it is a <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-5fcdfd3d\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/best_practice\">good practice<\/span> to have a list of national and international conferences and <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-ef09c6a3\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/industry\">industry<\/span>-specific workshops. Carefully choose those you think might give you the most in terms of <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-953abb67\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/knowledge\">knowledge<\/span> and network <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:enhancement-7e8796d5\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/learning\">acquisition<\/span>, then buy your tickets!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.codemotion.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/chief-technical-officer-2-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"chief technology officer\" class=\"wp-image-8429\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Leadership is key, but what is the key to leadership?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Every CTO should be a <span id=\"urn:enhancement-5c18617e\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/team\">team<\/span> leader. This is a natural attitude for some <span id=\"urn:enhancement-c418467\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/people\">people<\/span>, but also a skill set that can be improved over time with <span id=\"urn:enhancement-edbee84\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-thing\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/experience\">experience<\/span> or study. A CTO must also be a tech master in order to be credible in their team\u2019s eyes &#8211; a status that can be obtained and maintained only with constant study throughout your working life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We can sum up the top requirements for a leader of this kind: being able to communicate clearly at all levels, lead one or more teams effectively, and be a point of reference on technology for their specific teams and the company as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Soft skills<\/strong> can be characterised as the interpersonal qualities that allow you to interact confidently and well with your team under all circumstances, inevitably including high pressure situations. A typical shortlist of the soft skills that you might want to develop or improve should include: communication, leadership, teamwork, problem solving, conflict management, and time management. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The list goes on &#8211; this is just a starting point.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong style=\"user-select: auto;\">Hard skills<\/strong> should include familiarity with most high-end technologies, the most popular frameworks and languages, as well as product development in artificial intelligence, IoT, and security. Most importantly though, a CTO must be able to integrate, or ideally anticipate, new technologies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, although not all companies require a CTO to do so, contributing to the growth of the tech team and\/or creating an <span id=\"urn:local-annotation-695080\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/r_d_management\">R&amp;D<\/span> department to asses new technologies is something that you should be capable of doing at some point on your professional path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Solid educational background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An academic background can be the key to a bright and long-lasting career as a CTO. Not many years ago it was the only option available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Typically, an aspiring CTO should have a bachelor&#8217;s degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) subject, a master&#8217;s degree in a subject outside technology (usually business), and a number of relevant and specific certifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">STEM degree &#8211; the first step<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The foundation of every good CTO is usually a bachelor&#8217;s degree in a STEM subject. In some countries, computer software and hardware are hidden inside a more comprehensive technology category. Interesting fringe specialities, such as telecoms or biotechnology, are relatively common today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The University or Institute that you attend, and its reputation, are also relevant, especially in the first five years of your career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Master\u2019s degree<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p> A master\u2019s degree is not strictly necessary to become a CTO &#8211; experience is more important &#8211; but it helps a lot. Some combine study with working, shortening the path to glory &#8211; if you can manage working and studying at the same time, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most obvious choice of degree is an <strong>MBA<\/strong> (Master of Business Administration) &#8211; as a CTO you will be required to manage all aspects of business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having a good understanding of the legal and regulatory structure of the nation you are based in, or even a grasp of international law, can be very useful too in some cases. Some aspiring CTOs choose a master&#8217;s degree in law to complement their STEM degree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is less commont for an aspiring CTO to do a Master&#8217;s degree in a STEM or STEM-related field, but it could still be a logical choice if your goal is to work at cutting edge tech companies, where very specific and deep knowledge is essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Updated technical certificates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Technology <\/strong>changes much faster that we sometimes expect, so it can be really hard to keep the pace and stay up to date. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately there\u2019s no easy solution for this &#8211; no trick or alternative: you must study, study and then study some more, throughout your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The biggest challenge is that now, much more than in the past, every developer must stay  up to date on the technologies and languages they have used since their University years, while at the same time constantly learning a wide range of new things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Training and courses are indispensable to developers,  although companies may not look at these in any detail when assessing you as a candidate. Keep attending such courses, but don&#8217;t expect them to magically make your path to the top much easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who does the CTO speak to within a company?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The soft skills mentioned above will be of great value within the teams a CTO manages. Typically, the CTO supervises four teams: <strong><span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:local-annotation-610903\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/user_experience\">UX<\/span>, <span style=\"user-select: auto;\" id=\"urn:local-annotation-941299\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/front_and_back_ends\">backend<\/span>, DevOps, and QA<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The User Experience team is an essential part of almost any start-up. Responsible for creating the best possible experience for users through smart design and front-end development, it also cooperates with other teams to achieve set goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The backend team is the most important team in a technology company, whereas the <span id=\"urn:local-annotation-766522\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated\" itemid=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl01770\/entity\/devops\">DevOps<\/span> team is yet to find its natural positioning within an IT company structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The quality assurance team is responsible for testing the application being built to ensure the absence of any bugs or errors, maintaining stable and efficient performance, and editing documentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.codemotion.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/cto-skills-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"chief technology officer\" class=\"wp-image-8430\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tactical CTO Vs Strategic CTO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is frequently a difference between the tasks a CTO is required to perform in a small company and in a large one: typically, tactical tasks are preferred by small companies whereas larger ones demand more strategic operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a small company, as a CTO you are more likely to be asked to embrace your job as a mission. You are the tech leader and have a tactical role: your development teams, peers and senior managers will expect clear and effective decisions from you &#8211; decisions that can make the difference between failure and success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your role if you have a very strong<strong> STEM<\/strong> base.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you work for a large company, you will be assigned several tasks, but your main objective will be the business itself. You will be required to use your CTO skills and knowledge to contribute to your company\u2019s wider goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>360\u00b0 vision will be indispensable in this role, as you will be required to make strategic decisions. In this case, a STEM-only education is not necessary, and may actually be a limitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"uagb-cta__outer-wrap uagb-block-8e505634\"><div class=\"uagb-cta__content-wrap uagb-cta__block uagb-cta__icon-position-below-title \"><div class=\"uagb-cta__left-right-wrap\"><div class=\"uagb-cta__content\"><div class=\"uagb-cta__title-wrap\"><h3 class=\"uagb-cta__title\">Remain focused on your career path<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uagb-cta-text-wrap\"><p class=\"uagb-cta__desc\">If you want to be prepared to make the right decisions at the right time for your career path it&#8217;s vital that you comprehend your wants and needs as well as all the options in front of you. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to keep reading our developer career-focused contents as they get published!<\/p><\/div><div class=\"uagb-cta__link-wrapper uagb-cta__block-link-style\"><div class=\"uagb-cta__button-wrapper wp-block-button\"><a data-fz-event=\"CTO-NL-whatskillscto\" href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3aVzd27\" class=\"uagb-cta__button-link-wrapper wp-block-button__link\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"uagb-cta__link-content-inner\"><span>SUBSCRIBE NOW<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Remain focused on your career path If you want to be prepared to make the right decisions at the right time for your career path it&#8217;s vital that you comprehend your wants and needs as well as all the options in front of you. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to keep reading our&#8230; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.codemotion.com\/magazine\/dev-life\/cto\/cto-musthave-skills\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":8433,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":10,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[4209,43],"collections":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-4159","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cto","8":"tag-careers","9":"tag-soft-skills","10":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.9 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>CTO: What Skills Should You Have? - Codemotion Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Many successful CTOs from around the world agree on the ideal hard and soft skills that have helped them to develop their careers. This article offers a summary.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.codemotion.com\/magazine\/dev-life\/cto\/cto-musthave-skills\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A CTO In the Making: What Skills Should You Have?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Many successful CTOs from around the world agree on the ideal hard and soft skills that have helped them to develop their careers. 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