70: A Better Way to Explain Your Platform to Non-Technical Executives

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The CTO Playbook

Adam Horner

70 episodes

2 days ago

Join Adam Horner, a CTO with over 30 years in the tech industry, on The CTO Playbook — the podcast dedicated to helping CTOs excel. Perfect for CTOs and tech leaders navigating the complexities of their roles, each episode offers clear insights, innovative strategies, and practical advice from top leaders in tech. With Adam’s extensive experience mentoring engineers and tech leaders, and over a decade as a CTO, you’ll gain the tools and knowledge to build and refine your own CTO playbook. Whether you're tackling complex projects, fostering innovation, leading teams, or shaping your company's tech strategy, this podcast is your go-to resource. Adam’s journey from engineer to strategic CTO was challenging. He learned through the school of hard knocks, making avoidable mistakes and facing countless challenges. Often out of his comfort zone and wishing for more guidance, he created this podcast to provide the support and advice he once lacked. Tune in for engaging interviews, leadership tips, and the latest in technology strategy. Each episode is designed to help you lead with confidence and level up as a CTO. Listen now to start your journey with The CTO Playbook and build your own playbook to excel in your role.

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70: A Better Way to Explain Your Platform to Non-Technical Executives

The CTO Playbook

12 minutes 40 seconds

3 days ago

70: A Better Way to Explain Your Platform to Non-Technical Executives

Build your own CTO Playbook at www.theCTOplaybook.com — the leadership platform built for the full CTO journey. Coaching, podcast, and community to help you lead with clarity, confidence, and strategic impact.

Ever tried to explain a technical decision and felt the room silently check out?

Why do brilliant ideas so often get lost in translation? There is one simple metaphor that changes everything. In this episode, I share the story of a growth-stage CTO who could see a scale crisis coming, but couldn’t get his co-founders to see it too. It took one unexpected image, a floating city at sea, to finally bridge the gap.

Why does the old “building” analogy fail? How does reframing your stack as something alive, modular, and adaptable change the whole conversation? The right metaphor doesn’t just explain your system, it earns you buy-in. Because oftentimes, leading isn’t about simplifying the truth, it’s about telling the right story.

You’ll Learn:

[00:00] Introduction

[01:47] Why technical insight isn’t enough when your team can’t see the urgency you do

[03:18] How one metaphor turned a frustrating explanation into an instant lightbulb moment

[04:41] What happens when you frame your platform as a living, floating system instead of a fixed foundation

[06:52] The reason most architectural metaphors fail modern software and what replaces them

[08:36] How a single story helped a CTO win over skeptical co-founders and a cautious CFO

[09:24] Why the right analogy frees you to teach complexity without losing the room

[10:48] How to build metaphors that empower non-technical leaders to see real platform value

[11:51] The mindset shift that turns architecture into leadership and communication into strategy

Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company here.