Not All Engineers Will Become CTOs
Many engineers think that they will become a CTO one day, but statistically this isn’t even remotely accurate. Most engineers are surprised when they learn what a Chief Architect does, because it’s usually a much more attractive job for introverts.
Ask yourself if you want to be talking to people about managing expectations, building moral, delivering critical feedback, and standing in front of investors – or do you want your day-to-day to be technical conversations and coding.
People vs Technology
The CTO and Architect roles are at equal and opposite ends of the leadership spectrum.
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CTOs are masters of productivity, budgets, and team building. Architects, however, are masters of specific technologies.
But both lead. It’s about managing people vs. technology.
Let’s take a closer look.
A CTO…
That’s my job. I manage the people and processes within a company to protect everyone’s interests. A CTO mainly works as a go-between, so that programmers and architects can focus on what they do best.
I’m rarely the best programmer in the room. I’ve spent 15 years learning how to work with people, manage expectations, and recruit individuals to teams – which means I’m not as good with technology as Architects with 15 years coding practice. This is why you need to chose your path early and focus on it.
The Chief Architect
Effective Architects spend 99% of their career learning the nuances of specific technologies. The really good ones know how to communicate their ideas simply, but don’t invest time in learning how to manage people.
Growth for an Architect comes from mastering design patterns, data structures and the interactions of different kinds of technologies, all things that make you an attractive hire for companies, and gives you the freedom to move on when, or if, you want.
You can use each project and position as a stepping stone in your development. As a CTO you have to leave all of that behind, focusing instead on communication and risk mitigation.
You Can Be An Architect And A Leader
I know many Architects that are the leads for their teams. Everyone looks to the Architect for specifications and direction. Architects are very much involved in working with people, but their conversations are rooted in hands-on engineering which CTO’s can’t touch.
The lesson here? Focus on your skills and your passion, not on the “celebrity” career path.
Ask yourself if you want to be talking to people about managing expectations, building moral, delivering critical feedback, and standing in front of investors – or do you want your day-to-day to be technical conversations and coding.
Because…
You’ll have to choose eventually, and knowing early will help you a lot. I love both roles, but I had to choose and so will you.
When you break down the needs of each, you realize it’s impossible for one person to adequately cover them. You can always reassess your goals and switch if you realize you don’t like what you’re doing… but change is costly, especially later on.
Weigh your skills, your goals, and most importantly: what you love most about your work – then, go from there!
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