What CTO's Team Needs to Prove

In your new role as CTO, you're under constant scrutiny. Stakeholders and power holders above you are closely monitoring your progress, and they have specific expectations. To succeed, you and your team must prove your value in several key areas. Understanding what your superiors expect and aligning your efforts accordingly is crucial.

Understanding Expectations

Stakeholders and power holders may have varying expectations based on their perspectives and goals. It's vital to understand these expectations to ensure your team is focused on the right objectives. Here are some key areas your team needs to prove itself in:

1. Results: Delivering promised functionalities and meeting project deadlines.
2. Competence: Demonstrating the team's capability and efficiency in executing tasks.
3. Workload: Ensuring the team is working at full capacity and is visibly productive.
4. Compliance: Adhering to company procedures and regulations.

Timeframes for Expectations

Expectations from power holders can be categorized into three timeframes:

• Immediate (First 30-60 days): Initial expectations focus on quick wins and immediate impact.
• Near-Term (2-5 months): Intermediate goals that show steady progress and improvement.
• First Year (6-12 months): Long-term objectives that demonstrate sustained success and strategic alignment.

Creating a Value Map

To effectively demonstrate your team's value, create a value map that aligns with the expectations of your power holders. This map will help you track and communicate your team's progress across different dimensions.

Example Value Map and Scorecard

Power Holders and Stakeholders Overview

Understanding who is monitoring your team's performance and what they expect is crucial. Here’s a detailed look at various power holders and stakeholders, their focus areas, and their expectations over different time spans.

Steps to Prove Value

1. Monitor Stakeholder Expectations: Identify who is watching your team's performance and their specific expectations. Understand the metrics they use to evaluate success.
2. Group Expectations by Timeframe: Immediate (30-60 days) Near-Term (2-5 months) First Year (6-12 months)
3. Assess Team Performance: Evaluate your team's deliverables and how they align with stakeholder expectations. Look at additional activities like coaching, mentoring, and side projects that add value.
4. Analyze Customer Reception: Determine how customers are using the deliverables. Identify parts of deliverables that are used, discarded, or modified.
5. Evaluate Inter-Group Relationships: Look at interactions with other groups and the value exchanged. Identify knowledge transfer, coaching, and collaboration activities.
6. Identify Discrepancies: Observe feedback from stakeholders and customers. Note areas where expectations are not being met and address them.

Conclusion

Understanding what your team needs to prove is essential for aligning your efforts with stakeholder expectations. By creating a value map and tracking your progress across different dimensions, you can ensure that your team is focused on the right objectives and demonstrating its value effectively. This proactive approach will help you manage your team well and achieve success in your role as CTO.

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