| Welcome to the “5 Minute Tech Break” Great article from one of our US based coaches who looks at effective hiring strategies for technical teams. We include some articles that interested us think week and it’s motivational video time with “Prove Them Wrong”. Wherever you are in the world, have a wonderful weekend. Andrew Weaver andrew@cto.academy |
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| LEADERSHIP FOCUS Effective Hiring for Technical Talent This weeks leadership article is from New Mexico as Jim Mortensen takes an analytical view into the hiring process. Jim is one of the newest additions to our coaching team and is a highly experienced tech leader with extensive business achievements over a wide range of domains. He has also achieved 2 successful exits. “To be successful as a technical leader you need an exceptional technical team but the good news as a leader, is that you own the responsibility to build and grow that team. While some companies have developed good processes for hiring technical teams, startup and small/mid-size companies often lack well-defined hiring strategies or use processes that aren’t effective for assessing technical hires” Read the full article here. |
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| NEWS & VIEWS Other Articles Catching Our Eye This Week Equity for Software Engineers at Big Tech and Startups… A growing number of startups and Big Tech companies offer equity – stocks, options, and others – as part of their software engineering compensation. However some people only realize much later – sometimes at the IPO – just how big of a deal a good equity package can mean. This article brings equity to light and explains why you should care about it. 4 Traits Of Highly Authentic Leaders… The pandemic is delivering unprecedented pivotal cultural moments and when it comes to our work lives, the changes are multi-faceted. They are tangible and cultural. It’s a moment that calls for authentic leadership and Amy Kan writes that when you lead authentically, you are effortlessly powerful. Characteristics of Agile Leaders… “In an agile world, leaders understand what it means to work in an agile way and therefore, continuously provide the support needed to implement the right kind of change sought after by the organisation. Leaders invoke trust in people by encouraging them to develop and grow through learning and experimentation. They engage and look to understand how the organisation is progressing through outcomes rather than individual performances” My differences are my superpowers… Business leaders send a powerful message when they demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion. But how does diversity make its way to the top of a CEO’s agenda? Angie Jones is a Java Champion, international keynote speaker and Senior Director of Developer Relations at Applitools. In this article she explains what she first liked about technology and how her focus on is to stay empathetic, share her knowledge, and give back to the community. Designing an Agile Company Culture… “When agile business processes are adopted by a company, the work methodology tends to run a lot more efficiently because it is more realistic and does not require extensive planning and rigid project management of the past. Being agile means being able to accept unexpected changes without trying to shoehorn everything into envisioned processes” |
| MEET THE TEAM #8 Jim Mortensen, Fractional CTO & Leadership Coach Jim is also under the spotlight in our regular Meet The Team section. With a strong tech leadership skillset built across more than 25 years, he worked his way up to becoming a highly effective CTO and since achieving a successful recent exit is working as a fractional CTO, Mentor (locally) and Coach (globally). He’s also helping our drive into the USA and with some of the language nuances between UK English and US English because as George Bernard Shaw famously described it “England and America are two countries separated by the same language” Find out more about Jim here: |
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| THOSE WHO LEAD, READ |
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| BOOK OF THE WEEK Crime.Com: How Hacking Went Global Crime Dot Com: From Viruses to Vote Rigging, How Hacking Went Global explores the elusive world of hacking and cybercrime. On May 4, 2000, an email that read “kindly check the attached Loveletter” was sent from a computer in the Philippines. Attached was a virus, the Love Bug, and within days it had been circulated across the globe, paralyzing banks, broadcasters, and businesses in its wake, and extending as far as the UK Parliament and, reportedly, the Pentagon. The outbreak presaged a new era of online mayhem: the age of Crime Dot Com.Geoff White charts the development of hacking, from its birth among the ruins of the Eastern Bloc to its coming of age as the most pervasive threat to our connected world. “Brilliantly written and researched, Crime Dot Com is a vivid insight into the scale of the threat to us all from crime born of and facilitated by the digital age.” – Jon Snow, Channel 4 News (UK) |
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| VIDEO OF THE WEEK We’re going all motivational this week with ….“Prove Them Wrong” |
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90 Things You Need To Know To Become an Effective CTO
The Digital MBA for Technology Leaders has been formally recognized and certified by the Continuing Professional Development Certification Service (CPDUK) as “conforming to continuing professional development principles”, recognizing both the high standard of professional training and exceptional value being delivered by this course to technology leaders seeking to advance their careers.
A part-time CTO is a technology expert who works on a part-time or consulting basis for a company. The aim is to develop and implement the company’s technology strategy and oversee all aspects of its technology operations and product development.
Generally speaking, the role of a chief technology officer involves strategic management and execution of technology initiatives within an organization. It is, therefore, pivotal in shaping and implementing the technology roadmap while aligning it with the company’s overall goals and vision. What enables tech leaders to drive innovation, oversee development and infrastructure, ensure data security … Read more
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