[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
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