[Verse 1]
Started with a keyboard, now you're at the top
Two hundred engineers look up, the building never stops
But your role has shifted, coding's just five percent
Vision for the future is where your time is spent
Board meetings every quarter, shareholders want to know
Technical due diligence when companies might grow
Mergers and acquisitions need your expert eye
Innovation portfolio reaching for the sky
[Chorus]
Five percent building, twenty-five strategy
Twenty-five with people, directors you can see
Twenty-five external, industry you lead
Twenty governance, that's the CTO creed
Don't lose your technical edge along the way
Stay grounded while you're leading every day
[Verse 2]
Board-level communication, translate tech to gold
Show them how the architecture supports what can be sold
Industry influence means your voice carries weight
Speaking at the conferences, helping shape our fate
Managing the directors who manage all the teams
Building innovation labs to chase ambitious dreams
Patent portfolios and research that's cutting edge
Walking that fine line along the knowledge ledge
[Chorus]
Five percent building, twenty-five strategy
Twenty-five with people, directors you can see
Twenty-five external, industry you lead
Twenty governance, that's the CTO creed
Don't lose your technical edge along the way
Stay grounded while you're leading every day
[Bridge]
Beware the ivory tower calling your name
Political games that could ruin your game
Keep your hands dirty, code once in a while
Remember the trenches, remember your style
[Verse 3]
External partnerships and vendor relationships
Standards committees where your expertise grips
Due diligence calls when startups want to sell
Technical assessment, you know their systems well
Governance frameworks, compliance you must track
Risk assessment protocols, cyber-attack
But through all the meetings and strategic plans
Remember you're still one of the technical hands
[Chorus]
Five percent building, twenty-five strategy
Twenty-five with people, directors you can see
Twenty-five external, industry you lead
Twenty governance, that's the CTO creed
Don't lose your technical edge along the way
Stay grounded while you're leading every day
[Outro]
From code to boardroom, the journey's been long
But enterprise leadership, that's where you belong
Vision and innovation, technical and wise
The CTO's path leads to enterprise skies