Becoming a Business Leader

What if the most underused asset in your tech organization is your voice?

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In this episode, I sit down with Kathleen Lucente, founder and CEO of Red Fan Communications, to explore why communication is now a core leadership capability for enterprise technology leaders.

Stepping into the role of business leader changes everything, and learning to speak the language of finance is essential inside the boardroom. The most effective CTOs build influence across the C-suite by understanding how the CFO, CMO, CEO, and head of sales each think about value. 

Kathleen reflects on her career in high-tech PR, from journalism at EDN to shaping innovation narratives at IBM Research and advising companies through IPO moments. Her experience shows how authority is built long before a keynote or media interview.



If you’re focused on CTO leadership, executive communication, and increasing your influence in the enterprise, this conversation will challenge how you think about your role and your voice.

You’ll Learn:

[00:00] Introduction

[01:32] Seeing yourself as a business leader shifts your authority inside the enterprise

[02:18] Speaking finance earns real credibility in the boardroom

[03:07] Building trust across the C-suite meaningfully changes your impact

[04:12] Ignoring competitor visibility weakens your overall strategic presence

[10:24] Early work with engineers exposed deep communication gaps

[14:38] Turning complex tech into stories business leaders value

[21:17] Innovation stories must clearly connect to business priorities

[29:46] Thought leadership can significantly accelerate a CTO's career

[37:52] Strong communication systems build influence long before you take the stage

If you’re a CTO approaching a high-stakes transition, whether that’s an IPO, major funding round, acquisition, or significant market repositioning, click here and take our FREE brand positioning assessment to benchmark your company’s messaging and discover if there are gaps between your leadership, marketing, and sales teams that need attention.

You can connect with Kathleen on her LinkedIn.

Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and explore coaching, cohorts, and how you can stay up to date at theCTOplaybook.com, helping you build your own playbook for your path at your pace.