Tech Titans: How to Know You’re Not Really a CTO with Alan Williamson

Tech Titans: How to Know You’re Not Really a CTO with Alan Williamson

From Modern CTO by ProSeries Media

March 26, 2026 · 23 min

About this episode

Alan Williamson discusses the key traits that differentiate a true CTO from one who is not ready for the role.

THIS is how you know you’re not really ready for primetime. Today, we're bringing you our most timeless advice from our last conversation with Alan Williamson, Author of Think Like a CTO. We discuss why most first-time CTOs struggle to communicate with non-technical executives, how to think about budgeting and engineering costs like a true technology leader, and why the ability to articulate a clear vision is what separates a real CTO from a CTO in name only. All of this right here, right now, on the Modern CTO Podcast! To learn more about Alan Williamson, check out his website here.

People in this episode

Guest: Alan Williamson

Topics covered

  • CTO
  • leadership
  • communication
  • budgeting
  • technology

Keywords

  • CTO
  • leadership
  • communication
  • budgeting
  • engineering costs
  • vision

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Think Like a CTO

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