The Uber Metaphor Every Fractional CTO Needs to Know

Hey there,

Would you rather be in the back seat of the Uber or the front?

As a fractional CTO, the answer should always be the back seat. Here's why:

When you're in the back, you're setting the destination. You're deciding when to speed up, when to slow down, and which route to take. You're in charge of the overall direction.

But you're not the one with your hands on the wheel. You're not micromanaging every turn or stressing over every traffic jam. You trust your driver to navigate the day-to-day, freeing you up to focus on the bigger picture.

That's the key difference between being in charge and being in control. As fractional CTOs, we need to be comfortable setting the vision and then empowering our teams to execute. We can't (and shouldn't) try to dictate every detail.

Here's how this might play out in practice:

• You define the target architecture and key performance metrics, but let your lead developer determine the specific tech stack.

• You set the quarterly strategy and OKRs, but let your product manager figure out the tactical roadmap.

• You establish the quality bar, but let your QA lead create the specific test scripts.

Our job is to provide guard rails and course corrections, not to backseat drive. It's a balance of giving our teams autonomy while still holding them accountable.

Of course, this requires a high degree of trust and professionalism. You need to be confident that your team can rise to the challenge. But in my experience, most people will step up when given the chance to own their work.

The next time you find yourself getting too deep in the weeds, remember: get back in the back seat. Your role is to steer, not to step on the gas.

How do you balance being in charge vs. in control in your engagements? Reply back with your tips and tricks - I'm always looking to level up my leadership.

Enjoy the ride,
Lior

P.S. This is the kind of coaching I provide to our CTOx Accelerator members as they expand their leadership. It’s hard to see the label when you’re inside the jar. 

Lior Weinstein
Founder & Head Coach, CTOx