Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:53 — 28.9MB)
Gautam Hazari is a mobile identity guru, technology enthusiast, AI expert and futurist & is the CTO of Sekura.id, the global leader in mobile identity services. He is a thought leader for digital identity, advocating solving the identity crisis in the digital world and speaking on making the digital world a safer place. Gautam is also a TEDx speaker.
Who is a CTO?
A Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is someone who humanizes technology by linking technology with various aspects of a business and people’s lives. A CTO needs to make technology invisible but show its benefits to the board of directors, customers, society, investors.
When a CTO has to communicate
The situations in which a CTO has to communicate can be summarized as the 4Ts: Technology (explain technology to every type of audience), Teams (give direction to diverse teams with their own language, own agenda), Translation (depending on the context, emphasize the tone of your voice), Trust (communicate beyond words).
CTO communication mastery
Every CTO should master three communication skills:
- Adaptability. Know your audience and based on that, adapt your stories, your metaphors.
- Believe what you say. Gautam once heard after a talk from a non-technical person “I don’t know what you were talking about but I saw your passion, so this has to be something very important, something I should know”
- Consciousness. You must answer to the questions What? So what? Why now? that every audience has in their mind. There must be a call to action.
Difference between CEOs vs CTOs communication skills
The CEO and CTO are partners but they have a different focus in communication. This is illustrated with the Five Ws: Why, What, How, When, Who. The focus is different on each executive.
“Why, What” is more for the CEO
“How, When, Who” is more for the CTO
Related: How Techies Can Succeed in Any Media Interview
Favorite quotation
“Technology should either be beautiful, or it should be invisible.” — Steve Jobs
Recommended books
Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences by Nancy Duarte.
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbott.
Routine to Shine
When you practice for speaking, stand up while speaking and change your view. Your brain will be ready to speak at any location and situation.
Links
Gautam at LinkedIn
Gautam’s TEDx talk Digital Me – Why We Need A World Without Passwords
P.S. If you liked this episode, you might enjoy subscribing to our mailing list. Also, I’d appreciate if you write a review in iTunes or Stitcher. Your reviews will encourage me and will help other people to find the podcast. Thank you!
Leave a Reply