One of the assumptions I have increasingly questioned throughout my career is that technical expertise becomes less important as leaders become more senior.

The reasoning often sounds convincing. As organisations grow, leaders spend more time setting strategy, managing budgets, developing people and engaging with executive management, and the technical work is delegated to specialists so the leader can focus on the business. There is truth in that. Leadership is about far more than technical knowledge. It requires vision, communication, emotional intelligence, sound judgement and the ability to inspire people, and these qualities cannot be replaced by technical expertise, no matter how experienced an engineer someone may be.

At the same time, I have come to believe that technology leadership is different from many other leadership roles. Technology now underpins almost every part of an organisation. Business processes, customer services, financial operations, manufacturing, communication and decision-making all depend on it. Cybersecurity has become an enterprise risk. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how organisations work. Cloud platforms, automation and data have become central to business strategy.

In that environment, technical understanding is no longer simply an advantage. It is part of responsible leadership.

An IT leader does not need to be the strongest engineer in the organisation, nor should they perform the work of the specialists around them. Their responsibility is different. They need enough technical understanding to ask the right questions, challenge assumptions, evaluate risks and recognise the difference between a genuine business need and an unnecessary investment. Without that understanding, leaders become heavily dependent on the advice of others. Trusting experienced specialists is essential, but leadership also carries the responsibility of validating recommendations, balancing competing priorities and understanding the consequences of important technical decisions.

This becomes even more significant during a crisis. Technology incidents rarely allow time for lengthy explanations. Decisions often need to be made quickly, with incomplete information and under considerable pressure. Leaders must understand enough to evaluate options, communicate with executive management and make decisions that protect the organisation.

Technical understanding also creates credibility. Technology professionals often place greater confidence in leaders who understand the complexity of their work, and conversations become more meaningful because time is spent solving problems rather than explaining basic concepts. Equally important, business leaders gain confidence when technical issues are translated into business language that supports informed decision-making.

Looking back, I have realised that one of the most important responsibilities of technology leadership is acting as a bridge between two very different worlds. One is the language of technology; the other is the language of business, and neither is complete without the other. The most effective technology leaders move comfortably between both. They understand enough technology to make sound decisions, and enough business to ensure those decisions create value for the organisation.

Leadership and technical expertise should never be viewed as competing qualities. One gives leaders the ability to inspire people; the other gives them the confidence to make informed decisions.

The strongest technology leadership often appears where business judgement and technical understanding meet.