Ever tried explaining a complex technical concept to a business executive and watched their eyes glaze over? At my recent TechHive talk in Berlin, I tackled this challenge head-on.

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While tech is undeniably complex, our approach to explaining it doesn’t have to be.

The presentation centered on a key insight: communication effectiveness depends on the listener’s understanding, not the speaker’s explanation. Tech leaders must transform complex concepts into accessible language that resonates with business stakeholders, using relatable analogies and real-world examples.

At its core, tech stands at crossroads of being an engineering discipline and art form. Unlike traditional engineering with physical constraints, software development offers endless possibilities. This duality makes tech unintuitive for non-technical stakeholders.

Tech leaders should develop empathy for business colleagues. Consider a CEO with an operations background, used to measurable metrics, suddenly navigating the ambiguous world of tech development. Understanding this perspective helps bridge the gap between traditional business approaches and technology’s unique challenges.

The power of storytelling was the central theme of the talk.

One particularly effective analogy I use compares engineering quality to Excel models:

  • Multiple sheets => multiple services
  • Input and config sheets => deteriorating separation of concerns
  • Editing by multiple people => race conditions
  • Analyst working on a model alone => onboarding, bus factor
  • Editing someone else’s excel => readability and maintenance
  • Hardcoding into existing formula => code smells
  • Formulas vs constants => copy/pasting

I’ve explored numerous other analogies and metaphors that create intuitive understanding of tech, from comparing software systems to buildings, to illustrating quality trade-offs through Spider-Man sketches.

Ultimately, successful technical leadership requires more than just technical expertise—the ability to build connections through storytelling, intuition, and shared experiences is crucial. As technology increasingly drives business success, this skill becomes indispensable.

To explore more about bridging the tech-business gap and discover other powerful analogies, download the presentation deck.

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