Open and ongoing communication between a company’s CTO and their colleagues can not only ensure tech initiatives are headed in the right direction, but can also help drive innovation, efficiency and productivity and shape the organization’s future. CTOs often have unique and valuable perspectives on a variety of trending business topics, and they’re ready and willing to share their knowledge with peers and team members.
Getting input from their CTOs can help businesses refine strategic roadmaps, bolster the effectiveness of technology tools and services, better defend digital systems and data, and more. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council share trending topics leaders and team members can better tackle by seeking their CTO’s knowledge and perspective.
1. Aligning Technology With Business Goals
Colleagues should ask the CTO how we’re adapting to heightened digital demands and aligning technology with business goals. Crucially, what actions are being taken to update outdated operating models and structures to meet the need for rapid innovation and mitigate the risks of unproven technologies? This ensures we use resources efficiently and remain innovative while shedding inefficiencies of the past. – Maria Raymond, Aplo
2. Secure Technology Adoption
“Are we able to adopt new tech securely?” Businesses rely on tech to reduce costs and improve features; however, each technology tool and platform has unique threats and risks that need to be mitigated by software development and/or engineering teams. If a colleague feels they are designing and coding software the same way across platforms and technologies, they need to inform the CTO, who often believes teams are “delivering high-quality code.” – Ed Adams, Security Innovation
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3. Digital Risk
If there’s any suspicion of risk, notify the CTO immediately. This includes security concerns or disruptions in business continuity. Even in smaller organizations, it’s crucial to involve the CTO early, as their quick response can prevent a minor issue from becoming a major crisis. The CTO is key in handling significant operational changes, so they should be informed of any potential impact. – Kathleen Hurley, Sage, Inc.
4. Leveraging Technology For A Competitive Edge
One question colleagues should ask the CTO is, “What is our internal vision and process to make sure that we utilize the most suitable technology to get ahead and stay ahead of the competition?” This is a very important question, as the CTO should be at the technological forefront and working closely with the broader C-suite to align technology to the required business vision and outcomes. – Henry Patishman, Regula
5. Team Subcultures
Colleagues should bring concerns about subcultures within the team to the CTO, especially when these concerns could lead to fragmented thinking and a lack of team cohesion. Addressing this ensures the team operates as an efficient unit and fosters collaboration and innovation. A cohesive team is critical for maintaining alignment with organizational goals. – Jamil El-Imad, Imperial College, Institute of Biomedical Engineering
6. Quantum Readiness And Energy Utilization
The proximity of Q Day and the general lack of quantum readiness raises concerns. There are also concerns about data center energy utilization and potential regional caps (in Europe) on energy consumption. – Carlo Tortora Brayda, Tortora Brayda Institute
7. Technological Support For Varied Functions
Today, every business is a digital business, and technology is its heartbeat. Colleagues should ask their CTO how their enterprise technology strategy keeps up with the latest innovations. They can then understand how this improves their functions, including sales, customer service, HR and so on. – Ashok Balasubramanian, Open Weaver Inc.
8. Phishing Attempts
Employees should always report phishing attempts as soon as they happen. Because it’s easier to trick a human than a machine, phishing is one of the biggest risks companies face. Reporting these attempts immediately allows the IT team to monitor the situation, implement controls and prevent potential security breaches, safeguarding the company from significant threats. – Justin Rende, Rhymetec
9. Emerging Technologies’ Impact On Strategy
Colleagues should bring up any concerns about how emerging technologies might impact the business strategy. This is crucial because staying ahead of technological trends is vital for a competitive edge. As CTO, I’m here to ensure we leverage the right innovations to drive growth and keep our operations aligned with our long-term vision. – Savitri Sagar, Kenzo Infotech
10. Identity Governance
Colleagues should ask the CTO how the organization is enhancing identity governance to manage and secure digital identities and access across both cloud and on-premises systems. This query ensures awareness of how identity security strategies adapt to technological advancements and regulatory requirements and the importance of maintaining robust protection against breaches to ensure operational efficiency and compliance. – Craig Davies, Gathid
11. Leveraging Both New Tech And Existing Systems
Colleagues should ask the CTO, “Could you elaborate on your strategic approach to balancing the adoption of emerging technologies with optimizing existing systems? Specifically, how do you assess the trade-offs in terms of long-term value, operational efficiency and alignment with our business goals?” – Anand Santhanam, Amazon Web Services
12. Opportunities For Innovation
CTOs are uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology and business, with a deep understanding of both areas. Their experience in innovation and creativity allows them to see opportunities that others might miss. Colleagues can tap into the CTO’s expertise to find innovative solutions that leverage existing tools, drive business growth and address operational challenges more effectively. – Erez Tadmor, Tufin
13. Technology Modernization Plans
Colleagues should ask the CTO about their plans for modernization and the embracing and adoption of emerging technologies. Is there a roadmap in place? What does the strategy look like? These are important questions to ask—questions that the organization must answer and communicate to embrace change, set a clear direction and support the demands of the business. – Robert Reynolds, Orange County Government, North Carolina
14. Technology Scalability
Colleagues should bring concerns about the scalability of the company’s technology solutions to the CTO. Scalability is crucial, as it impacts an organization’s ability to handle growth or fluctuating demands. Addressing this ensures the technology infrastructure can adapt efficiently, maintain performance, control costs and support business agility as the organization evolves and market conditions change. – Sri Bhargav Krishna Adusumilli, MindQuest Technology Solutions LLC
15. Sustainability
Ask, “What steps are we taking to ensure our technology operations are environmentally sustainable?’ This brings attention to the growing importance of green IT practices and the need for corporate responsibility in tech-driven industries. – Mani Padisetti, Emerging Tech Armoury
16. ROI Of Tech Projects
The CTO is the go-to person for questions about measuring the ROI of technology projects. Understanding the ROI helps ensure that technology investments benefit the company and bring in profits. It also helps a company choose the right projects, use resources wisely and show how technology helps the business grow and work more efficiently. – Sergii Malomuzh, Rewump
17. Teams’ Technical Needs
It can be very helpful to ask the CTO questions like, “Why can’t our internal database track X for this key account?” Many project teams aren’t plugged in to the CTO, but they have extremely valuable insights into system modifications. With the right communication, simple changes can make huge impacts on key accounts and important projects. – Tom Roberto, SG Network Services