When I first became a CTO, I thought my job was to be the smartest technical person in the room.
Write the best code. Architect the system. Solve the hardest problems.
But it didn’t take long to realize that none of that was enough.
The reality?
The job of a great engineering leader comes down to one skill that almost no one talks about. And certainly no one teaches.
Translation.
The Real Language Barrier in Software Companies
If you’ve worked in or around software engineering, you’ve seen this play out.
Engineers speak in technical detail—frameworks, architecture, systems.
Executives speak in outcomes—revenue, timelines, growth.
Both sides are intelligent. Both are essential. But most of the time, they’re not speaking the same language.
I’ve seen engineers who can explain why a system needs to be re-architected—but the business only hears “delays and cost.”
I’ve seen executives lay out ambitious market goals—but the engineering team only hears “impossible expectations.”
And so the two groups orbit each other, frustrated.
Executives think engineers don’t “get the business.”
Engineers think executives don’t “get the technology.”
The result? Misalignment. Slow innovation. And teams that feel stuck.
Why Engineers Struggle to Say “No”
In the latest episode of Product Driven, Karell Ste-Marie of The Serious CTO and I dug into something most people won’t admit: a lot of software engineers struggle to say no.
The profession tends to attract introverts. They don’t want to rock the boat, push back, or look incompetent. So they say yes—sometimes even when they know the ask is unrealistic.
That creates a dangerous cycle:
Engineers say yes to everything.
Executives assume everything can be done.
Deadlines get set that can’t be hit.
Trust breaks down when the delivery doesn’t match the promise.
And it all stems from the same problem: the languages aren’t translating.
Why This Matters More Than Technical Skill
Most engineers spend the first decade of their career heads-down in code. They live in the world of technical problems.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
You can be the most brilliant coder on the planet and still fail as a leader.
Because at some point, the job stops being about code. It becomes about outcomes. About money. About making sure the business actually survives.
As Karell put it—if the company doesn’t make money, you don’t get a salary. It’s that simple.
That’s a language many engineers aren’t taught to speak.
The CTO as Translator
The best CTOs I know are the ones who can sit in a boardroom with executives and make the business case clear…
…and then walk into the engineering room and translate that vision into technical priorities the team can actually execute.
It’s a dual fluency:
Understanding the business well enough to make trade-offs.
Understanding the technology well enough to know what’s realistic.
Most importantly, it’s being able to speak both languages in a way each side understands.
That’s what makes the role so difficult.
And that’s what defines the leaders who actually move companies forward.
Why This Skill Rarely Gets Taught
You don’t learn this skill in computer science class.
You don’t pick it up from Agile training.
And you won’t find it in most management books.
You learn it the hard way—by being thrown into the fire.
That’s why so many CTOs become CTOs the same way Karell and I did: by starting their own companies. Overnight, you’re forced to become fluent in both worlds. You can’t hide in the code anymore.
You’re selling, pitching, raising money, talking to customers—and still leading the engineering team.
It’s trial by fire. And it teaches you fast.
Why Companies Fail Without Translators
Think about it: a company can’t exist without a product. And that product can’t exist without engineers.
But if the engineers don’t understand the business, they’ll keep building things that don’t move the needle.
And if the business doesn’t understand the engineers, they’ll keep setting goals that can’t be achieved.
Without translation, both sides lose.
Engineers feel invisible, like mushrooms in the basement.
Executives feel frustrated, like nothing gets done.
And customers feel neglected, because the company isn’t innovating.
Translation isn’t just a soft skill. It’s survival.
What This Means for You
If you’re a technical leader, here’s the uncomfortable but empowering truth:
Your job is to be the bridge.
You may be the only one in your company who can do it. You might be the only one who can sit down with engineers and executives and actually make both sides feel heard.
That’s not a burden. That’s the definition of your value.
It’s the skill that makes or breaks great engineering leaders.
And even if no one taught it to you, you can start practicing it every day:
Ask engineers to explain their work in business terms.
Push executives to ground their goals in reality.
Translate. Over and over again. Until both sides understand.
Because when that happens? That’s when companies innovate.
Want to hear the full conversation I had with Karell Ste-Marie of The Serious CTO—including our own mistakes and lessons from becoming CTOs—check out the latest episode of the Product Driven Podcast.