The Real Edge for Technology Leaders Isn’t Technical, It’s Interpersonal

Whether serving as a CISO, CTO, CIO, or CAIO, technology executives earn their seat at the table through technical mastery: the ability to navigate complex digital systems and understand how technology drives performance, innovation, and security. That expertise is still essential, but in an era where AI, cloud infrastructure, and data analytics shape nearly every strategic decision, it’s now a baseline rather than a differentiator. 

Technology leaders used to operate largely behind the scenes, focused on infrastructure, security, and operational efficiency. As digital capabilities now influence nearly every aspect of business, they have evolved into enterprise leaders, not just functional experts. What separates today’s most effective senior technology leaders is their ability to translate complexity into clarity, build alignment across the organization, and influence decisions in environments defined by rapid change. Interpersonal skills – communication, collaboration, and influence – are now as critical as technical acumen, a theme underscored during a virtual fireside chat at The Post Annual Summit in Austin, Texas. 

Intangibles That Define Great Technology Leaders

The strongest CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, and CAIOs share several characteristics that signal this strength: 

• Broad organizational perspective. Exceptional technology chiefs see beyond their function. They invest as much time understanding the CFO’s cost pressures or the CMO’s growth goals as they do in systems design, ensuring technology decisions align with enterprise priorities. 
• Clarity in translation. Whether explaining an AI roadmap to the board or framing a cybersecurity risk in commercial terms, they convert complex ideas into clear ones. Their communication builds trust and alignment across every audience. 
• Transparency about limits. Because technology evolves faster than any one person can track, top leaders acknowledge what they don’t know and actively draw out ideas from their teams, fostering innovation and mutual respect. 
• Openness to challenge. Creating space for dissent and debate, these leaders recognize that new ideas emerge from diverse perspectives. Influence, for them, is built through listening as much as direction. 
• Connection to purpose. They help teams see how their work enables strategic progress—whether safeguarding the business, accelerating growth, or advancing responsible innovation. People commit to a mission, not a milestone.
• Empowerment through trust. Trust, not control, defines how exceptional technology leaders empower their teams. By establishing clear expectations and confidence, they enable autonomy and accountability at every level.

Many organizations still prioritize degrees, certifications, and technical depth when assessing technology executives, as these qualifications once defined success when these roles were primarily operational. But as the scope of these positions has evolved, technical credentials have become baseline expectations rather than differentiators. 

Leaders who can listen, guide, and inspire confidence create a different kind of long-term value, one rooted in culture, cohesion, and clarity of vision. Hiring committees should not overlook these traits precisely because they are harder to measure. How a leader communicates under pressure, navigates conflict, or earns followership will not appear on a résumé, yet those are the capabilities that define lasting success. 

Assessing Interpersonal Excellence 

• Focus less on technical questions. Ask candidates questions that reveal their soft skills. Explore how they collaborate with colleagues, communicate with stakeholders, and articulate complex concepts to audiences outside their function. 
• Reference across levels. Senior-level references are valuable, but peers and direct reports often provide a more complete view of a leader’s style. Ask those who have worked closely with the candidate about their management approach, performance under pressure, and commitment to developing others. 
• Look for patterns of curiosity and growth. Great leaders talk as openly about what they have learned as they do about what they have achieved. Probe how they have responded to setbacks, sought feedback, or entered unfamiliar domains. Curiosity and humility are stronger predictors of long-term success than flawless experience. 

Today’s technology leaders drive enterprise decision-making, and that visibility demands influence that extends beyond technical mastery. Learn how our team of experts can help your organization identify technology executives with the interpersonal excellence needed to succeed in today’s business landscape.