The Big Idea

At Level 8, you’re a senior voice in company strategy, not just a translator between tech and business. You’re helping shape the questions that define what markets to enter, what bets to make, and what to walk away from. You don’t just ship product—you shape priorities.

You’ve likely joined or are joining strategic councils or executive committees. That’s not a formality. It’s your chance to influence the company’s most critical choices with a technology lens—before they become mandates.

You Know You’re Struggling When

You’re informed of strategic changes after the fact, asked to “figure it out.”
Your tech strategy is focused on delivery speed, not directional bets.
You attend board meetings but rarely contribute.
You feel like your roadmap is always reacting to other teams’ visions.
You aren’t confident speaking the language of long-range planning or capital allocation.

This isn’t a tech communication issue. It’s a seat-at-the-table issue. And a readiness-to-use-it issue.

Ideal State

You’re not just reacting to business strategy—you’re influencing it. You bring clarity to how technology unlocks or limits major business moves. You can talk about technical tailwinds and headwinds the same way a CFO might talk about margin dynamics.

You contribute meaningfully to annual and multi-year planning. You help model risk. You understand how to frame build-or-buy, platform expansion, and partner alignment in business terms. And you’re known as someone who helps the company think clearly when it matters most.

You’ve earned the right to help shape the company’s bets—and you use it well.

Closing the Gap

Know the business cold. Learn your company’s business model, cash dynamics, margins, and market pressures better than most tech execs ever do.
Train for strategy. Read what your CEO and board are reading. Practice writing strategy memos. Push your thinking beyond “roadmaps” and into “why this, why now.”