成功首席技术官（CTO）具备的9个品质

首席技术官 （CTO） 是负责定义组织的技术战略并领导其技术团队的执行官。该职位类似于CIO（首席信息官），但首席技术官特别专注于探索对组织具有战略重要性的新技术和现有技术。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

尽管有这个头衔，但首席技术官的角色需要的不仅仅是技术专长。与我交谈过的首席技术官表示，软技能对他们的领导能力同样重要。以下是成功 CTO 的九个关键属性，根据在组织中担任该角色的技术领导者的说法。

一、以人为本

首席技术官通常不会独立工作。他们是技术专业人员团队的一部分，他们共同致力于帮助他们的组织有效地使用技术。能够组建一支能够应对变化和挑战的团队非常重要。首席技术官必须很好地判断品格，才能建立一个强大的团队。

“没有优秀的人才，一切都会变得困难10倍，”Vytalize Health的首席技术官Mark Long说，Vytalize Health是一家为医疗保健提供商提供数字服务的提供商。“对招聘流程要像对待任何其他系统或安全计划一样有条不紊。

领导团队的一部分是动员人们围绕公司和首席技术官的愿景。“伟大的人希望与其他伟大的人一起工作并成长，”Long说。“我们处于一个非常有活力的行业。今天让一个人变得伟大的东西可能最多只有 12 个月的保质期，所以你必须培养一种学习文化，并在培养员工时优先考虑领导力。

吸引和留住顶尖人才应该是未来一年技术领导者的首要任务，咨询公司安永的全球首席技术官Nicola Morini Bianzino说。“人类的聪明才智、足智多谋和经验的多样性，加上对当今技术工具的掌握，在我们的搜索中从未如此重要，”他说。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

Bianzino 说，为了吸引和留住最优秀的人才，技术高管必须专注于组织的理想使命，以及员工如何帮助产生影响。

二、预测技术趋势

没有人期望首席技术官成为算命先生，但他们确实需要对技术市场正在发生的事情有强烈的了解。优秀的首席技术官会预测新产品、功能和需要解决的挑战方面可能出现的情况。你可以成为世界上最好的技术专家和战略家，但如果你无法以一种与听众交谈的方式传达这些策略，那也没关系。

“要成为一名出色的首席技术官，必须具备敏锐的能力，能够提前识别技术趋势，”基于云的产品提供商CTERA的首席技术官Aron Brand说。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“一个成功的首席技术官总是在寻找最新的技术进步，对行业有深刻的理解并预测未来的发展，”布兰德说。“这使他们能够就投资哪些技术以及避免哪些技术做出明智的决定。他们有远见，可以看到大局，了解他们决策的长期影响，同时也考虑组织的迫切需求。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

首席技术官需要对技术、工具和业务充满好奇心，以跟上永无止境的新技术方法和商业条件的出现，供应链需求计划软件提供商Logility的首席技术官Kevin McInturff说。“满足于旧模式不会让你有意义地参与这些新出现的机会，你应该不断质疑假设，”他说。

三、较强的沟通能力

这个属性几乎出现在高管的任何重要特征列表中，这是有充分理由的。与其他高管和团队成员进行清晰沟通的能力对于完成项目和确保实现组织的技术目标至关重要。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“成功的首席技术官最重要的属性是讲述精彩故事的能力，”布兰德说。“对于许多人来说，技术可能很复杂且难以理解，但具有强大沟通技巧的首席技术官可以将这种复杂性转化为引人入胜的叙述，从而吸引和告知。

布兰德说，通过成为一个伟大的讲故事的人，首席技术官可以与利益相关者建立信任和信誉，并帮助每个人更好地了解他们正在开发的技术的价值。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

首席技术官需要能够用企业领导者能够理解的语言说话。“作为一名高效的首席技术官，翻译你的想法和观点，以相关的方式将真相摆在桌面上，这对你的成功至关重要，”McInturff说。

“你可以成为世界上最好的技术专家和战略家，但如果你无法以一种与听众对话的方式传达这些策略，那也没关系。

四、灵活性

在技术领域和整个业务中，变化是不断的，首席技术官需要灵活地处理其角色的各个方面。这包括他们如何管理员工。随着全球员工队伍可以在任何地方工作，组织需要适应并利用它来发挥自己的优势。

“在过去的几年里，我们看到全球人才市场发生了翻天覆地的变化，”Anaqua公司的首席技术官Erik Reeves说，Anaqua是一家提供软件来管理知识产权的公司。“随着向远程工作的过渡，公司在如何管理、留住、吸引和培养人才方面有更多的选择，而灵活性成为一项关键资产。我们行业的人们可以而且想要虚拟工作。认识到这种愿望对于我们作为雇主的敏捷能力至关重要，尤其是在竞争异常激烈的市场中。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

Reeves说，由于全球劳动力可以在任何地方工作，组织需要适应并利用它来发挥自己的优势。“例如，在大流行之前，我们扩大了全球足迹并采用了混合工作选项，”他说。“我们为员工提供了远程成功的工具和机会，但也提供了办公资源，以确保同事之间保持联系。”CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

五、学科

Reeves说，灵活性对于CTO的角色至关重要，但它需要与纪律相平衡。

“技术规划和技术转型可能会有很长的弧线，”里夫斯说。“从投资到[投资回报]的时间可能因投资类型而异。一个强大的技术领导者需要知道什么时候坚持到底并保持纪律，即使这意味着很少或没有短期利益。

首席技术官还需要知道何时转向并果断采取行动。“部分原因是理解技术领导者不会决定方向，而是他们需要成为智能指导的一部分，”里夫斯说。“专注于组织设定的业务成果和目标。知道如何以及何时有力地倡导是纪律灵活性动态的一部分。

六、实用主义

尽管首席技术官的任务是掌握仍在开发中甚至处于概念阶段的新兴技术，但有时他们需要处理实用主义，偏爱实际应用而不是知识或理想主义方法。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“最重要的商业决策很少完全属于单一的意识形态答案，这要求首席技术官务实，”McInturff说。

McInturff说：“能够迅速梳理相互冲突的优先事项、关系和客户需求，以找到最能平衡这些解决方案的解决方案，并理解这可能不是最符合您个人喜好的答案，这一点至关重要。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

七、注重结果

Long说，作为首席技术官的成功最好由高管对最关键业务指标的影响来定义。

“太多的首席技术官陷入了成为订单接受者的陷阱：’实施这个平台’或’为我构建功能Y’，”Long说。但是，设计技术不是贵公司的领导层或客户的工作。首席技术官需要寻找创新和推动价值的方法。我告诉我的团队，’我们不会因关闭门票或运输功能而获得信用;我们因交付预期的结果而受到赞誉。要实现这一目标，需要一种设计思维方法。

首先，首席技术官应该考虑每个利益相关者试图解决的问题。“字里行间读，”朗说。“花点时间了解你工作的业务领域，以帮助创建愿景并获得支持。然后，用这些小组的语言进行交流。组织中的每个人都需要知道他们为什么要做他们正在做的事情。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

八、技术深度

Long说，不可能成为每一项技术的专家，甚至不可能成为技术市场的一小部分。但是，高度详细的动手技术工作的背景是拥有问题分解和分析技能的关键，以便在需要时进行非常深入的研究。如果没有长时间在杂草中度过，首席技术官将无法提出重要问题。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“无论是试图粉饰其产品的供应商，还是陷入困境的内部团队，您都需要继续提出问题以剥离复杂的层，以找到问题、系统或需求的真正本质，”Long 说。“你的工作不是掌握所有的答案;就是不断提出问题，以揭示一个看不见的机会或团队思维的差距。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

Long说，如果没有长时间在杂草中度过，首席技术官将无法提出重要问题。

九、转型思维

Bianzino 说，技术部门已经从一个历史上孤立的职能转变为一个综合业务，这是组织成长和生存的关键。首席技术官的角色也随着这一趋势而转变。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“在许多方面，技术已经从’后台’转移到董事会议程和优先事项，这需要改变首席技术官的方法，”Bianzino说。“当我成为第一位进入安永董事会的技术专家时，我在自己的职业生涯中看到了这一点。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

该公司的服务需要大量的情报和专业知识，“所以如果我们没有正确使用技术来提供这些服务，我们将处于劣势，”比安齐诺说。“拥有强大的技术技能是不够的;了解业务方面对于成功的数字化转型至关重要。

英文原文：

9 qualities of a successful CTO

Five CTOs discuss the challenges in their field and the personal and professional qualities that are critical to their success.

A chief technology officer (CTO) is the executive responsible for defining an organization’s technology strategy and leading its technology teams. The position is similar to that of a CIO (chief information officer), but CTOs are particularly focused on exploring new and existing technologies that are of strategic importance to the organization.CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

Despite the title, the role of a CTO requires considerably more than technical expertise. The CTOs I spoke with said that soft skills are just as important to their ability to lead. Here are nine critical attributes of a successful CTO, according to technology leaders who hold that role in their organization.Table of Contents

• Focus on people
• Anticipate technology trends
• Strong communication skills
• Flexibility
• Discipline
• Pragmatism
• Focus on outcomes
• Technical depth
• Transformation mindset

Focus on people

CTOs typically don’t work independently. They are part of a team of technology professionals who together aim to help their organization use technology effectively. It is important to be able to pull together a team that can weather change and challenges. A CTO must be a good judge of character in order to build a strong team.

“Without great people, everything becomes 10 times harder,” says Mark Long, CTO at Vytalize Health, a provider of digital services for healthcare providers. “Be as methodical with your recruiting process as you are with any other system or security program.”CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

Part of leading a team is mobilizing people around the company’s and the CTO’s vision. “Great people want to work with other great people and grow,” Long says. “We are in a very dynamic industry. What makes someone great today probably has a 12-month shelf life at best, so you must develop a learning culture and prioritize leadership in developing your people.”

Attracting and retaining top talent should be the number one priority for technology leaders in the year ahead, says Nicola Morini Bianzino, global CTO at consulting firm EY. “Human ingenuity, resourcefulness, and diversity of experience—combined with mastery of the technological tools of the day—have never been more important in our search,” he says.

To attract and retain the best of the best, technology executives must focus on the aspirational mission of the organization and how employees can help make an impact, Bianzino says.

Anticipate technology trends

No one expects CTOs to be fortune tellers, but they do need to have a strong sense of what’s going on in the technology marketplace. A good CTO anticipates what is likely to come along in terms of new products, features, and challenges to address.You can be the best technologist and strategist in the world, but it won’t matter if you are unable to communicate those strategies in a way that speaks to your audience.

“To excel as a CTO, it is essential to have a keen ability to identify technology trends ahead of the curve,” says Aron Brand, CTO of CTERA, a provider of cloud-based products.

“A successful CTO is always on the lookout for the latest advancements in technology, having a deep understanding of the industry and anticipating future developments,” Brand says. “This allows them to make informed decisions about which technologies to invest in and which to avoid. They have the foresight to see the big picture and understand the long-term impact of their decisions, while also considering the immediate needs of the organization.”CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

CTOs need to be full of curiosity about technology, tools, and business to keep up with never-ending emergence of new technology approaches and business conditions, says Kevin McInturff, CTO at Logility, a provider of demand planning software for supply chains. “Being content with old patterns will not allow you to meaningfully participate in these newly emerging opportunities, and you should question assumptions constantly,” he says.

Strong communication skills

This attribute shows up in just about any list of important traits for executives, and for good reason. The ability to communicate clearly with fellow executives and team members is vital for getting projects completed and ensuring the organization’s technology goals are met.

“The most important attribute of a successful CTO is the ability to tell great stories,” Brand says. “Technology can be complex and difficult to understand for many people, but a CTO with strong communication skills can translate this complexity into a compelling narrative that engages and informs.”CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

By being a great storyteller, a CTO builds trust and credibility with stakeholders and helps everyone better understand the value of the technology they are developing, Brand says.

CTOs need to be able to speak in terms that business leaders will understand. “To be effective as a CTO, translation of your ideas and perspectives to bring truth to the table in a relatable way will be pivotal in your success,” McInturff says.CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“You can be the best technologist and strategist in the world, but it won’t matter if you are unable to communicate those strategies in a way that speaks to your audience.”

Flexibility

Change is constant in the technology field and in business in general, and CTOs need to be flexible in how they approach every aspect of their role. That includes how they manage their staff.With a global workforce that can work anywhere, organizations need to adapt and use it to their advantage.

“In the last few years, we saw the global marketplace of talent turned on its head,” says Erik Reeves, CTO at Anaqua, a company that provides software to manage intellectual property. “With the transition to remote work, companies had more choices to make about how to manage, retain, attract, and grow talent—and flexibility became a key asset. People in our industry can and want to work virtually. Recognizing this desire was critical for our ability to be agile as an employer, especially in an incredibly competitive market.”CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

With a global workforce that can work anywhere, organizations need to adapt and use it to their advantage, Reeves says. “For example, we grew our global footprint and adopted hybrid work options before the pandemic,” he says. “We provided the tools and opportunities for employees to be successful remotely, but also offered office resources to ensure colleagues remained connected to one another.”

Discipline

Flexibility is vital for the role of CTO, but it needs to be counterbalanced with discipline, Reeves says.CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“Technology planning and tech transitions can have long arcs,” Reeves says. “The time from investment to [return on investment] can vary depending on the type of investment. A strong tech leader needs to know when to stay the course and be disciplined, even if it means little or no short-term benefits.”

CTOs also need to know when to pivot and act decisively. “Part of this is understanding that a technology leader does not dictate the direction, but rather they need to be part of an intelligent guidance,” Reeves says. “Focus on business outcomes and goals set by the organization. Knowing how and when to advocate forcefully is part of that dynamic of flexibility with discipline.”

Pragmatism

Although CTOs are tasked with staying on top of emerging technologies that are still in development, or even in the concept phase, there are times they need to deal in pragmatism, favoring practical applications over intellectual or idealistic approaches.

“The most important business decisions rarely fall neatly into a single ideological answer, requiring CTOs to be pragmatic,” McInturff says.

“Having the ability to swiftly sort through conflicting priorities, relationships, and client needs to find solutions that best balances these, and understanding that this may not be the answer that best aligns with what you might personally prefer, is critical,” McInturff says.

Focus on outcomes

Success as a CTO is best defined by the executive’s impact on the most crucial business metrics, Long says.CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“Too many CTOs fall into the trap of becoming order-takers: ‘implement this platform’ or ‘build me feature Y,’” Long says. “But it’s not your company’s leadership or your customer’s job to design your technology. CTOs need to look for ways to innovate and drive value. I tell my teams, ‘we don’t get credit for closing tickets or shipping features; we get credit for delivering the desired outcome.’ To accomplish this requires a design-thinking approach.”

First, a CTO should consider the problem that each stakeholder is trying to solve. “Read between the lines,” Long says. “Take time to understand the business domain in which you work to help create a vision and gain buy-in. Then, communicate in the language of those groups. Everyone in your organization needs to know why they are doing what they are doing.”CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

Technical depth

It’s impossible to be an expert in every technology or even a small slice of the technology market, Long says. But a background in highly detailed, hands-on technical work is key to having the problem decomposition and analysis skills to dive very deep when required.Without having spent an extended time in the weeds, CTOs will not be in a position to ask the important questions.

“Whether it’s a vendor trying to whitewash its product or an internal team that’s stuck, you need to continue to ask questions to peel back the complex layers to get to the true essence of the problem, system, or need,” Long says. “Your job is not to have all the answers; it’s to keep asking questions to reveal an unseen opportunity or the gap in your team’s thinking.”

Without having spent an extended time in the weeds, CTOs will not be in a position to ask the important questions, Long says.CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

Transformation mindset

Technology departments have transformed from being a historically isolated function to being an integrated business, key to the growth and survival of organizations, Bianzino says. The CTO’s role has transformed along with this trend.

“In many ways, technology has moved from the ‘back-office’ to a boardroom agenda and priority, and this has required a shift in approach for CTOs,” Bianzino says. “I’ve seen this in my own career when I became the first technologist to sit on the board of EY.”

The firm’s services require a lot of intelligence and expertise, “so if we don’t use technology properly to deliver those services, we’ll be at a disadvantage,” Bianzino says. “It’s not enough to have strong technical skills; understanding the business side is critical for successful digital transformation.”CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

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