When the CEO Doesn’t Have a Clue: What’s an IT Leader to Do?

It’s a story you’ve heard—or experienced—before.

You walk into a senior leadership meeting, and the CEO or another top exec is confidently holding forth on the company’s IT direction. Maybe they’re talking about “embedding AI into everything,” “leveraging blockchain for HR,” or “moving everything to the cloud by next quarter” in a way that’s… well, questionable.

The statements might sound trendy. They might even check the buzzword boxes. But they also betray a disconnect between aspiration and execution. And as an IT leader, you’re left wondering: “Should I say something? Should I cringe in silence? Is it my job to educate the room?”

Shouldn’t Business Leaders Speak the Language of Technology?

CIOs and IT leaders have long been expected to speak the language of business. It’s table stakes for strategic credibility. But shouldn’t the reverse be true as well? Shouldn’t CEOs, CFOs, COOs—those shaping strategy—understand the key tenets of the technologies enabling that strategy?

In an ideal world, yes. But in reality, business leaders are rarely rewarded for technical literacy. Their success has historically depended more on financial acumen, market instincts, and operational experience than fluency in tech. That’s beginning to shift—but not fast enough.

So what should you, as a tech leader, do about it?

The Three Camps of IT Leadership

In working with hundreds of IT leaders, we’ve seen three common responses to executive tech-blunders:

1. The Vengeful Technocrats

This group has long felt undervalued or misunderstood. They may quietly (or not-so-quietly) revel when a senior exec stumbles through a botched AI use case or casually conflates “cloud” and “SaaS.” Their commentary often starts with, “With a CEO like this, maybe it’s time to update my LinkedIn…”

2. The Happy and Detached

These leaders are polite, friendly, and fundamentally disengaged from the bigger conversation. If a business executive mangles a tech concept, they shrug. “No big deal—it doesn’t really affect me.” They focus on delivery, not influence.

3. The Strategic Translators

This camp sees the disconnect and leans in. They believe in IT as a strategic driver, not just a service provider. They invest in educating business peers—not to show off—but to align, empower, and accelerate outcomes. They don’t expect perfect understanding from execs, but they do expect—and enable—intelligent conversation.

Which Camp Are You In?

The most effective IT leaders—the ones with budget influence, a strategic seat at the table, and engaged business partners—are Strategic Translators. They understand that tech strategy without business fluency is noise and business ambition without tech grounding is risk.

One seasoned CIO in the financial services sector put it bluntly:

“If you let your CEO get on stage and talk nonsense about our IT direction, that’s on you. It means you didn’t do your job educating them or equipping them with the right message.”

He wasn’t being harsh. He was being accurate.

How to Bridge the Divide

Business and IT leaders won’t naturally start speaking in perfect harmony. You need to coach them, and that requires two tools:

1. The IT Strategy Cheat Sheet

Don’t hand over a 60-slide deck and expect anyone to care. Create a single-page summary of your IT strategy—big-picture priorities, key initiatives, and how they align with business goals. Use plain language. Print it. Share it. Refer to it often.

Focus this summary on strategic themes executives care about:

• How automation and AI are improving operations and customer experience
• Cybersecurity and digital trust as competitive differentiators
• Sustainability and responsible tech investments
• Business agility enabled through flexible, scalable cloud infrastructure
• How workforce enablement and digital tools support strategic priorities

If it fits in a frame on a desk, you’re doing it right.

2. Rehearsals, Not Just Briefings

Once you’ve shared the cheat sheet, don’t assume understanding. Ask your CEO (or business partner),

“Can you walk me through the strategy as you’d explain it to the board?”

Let them try. Then coach. Clarify. Adjust. Do it again if needed. You’ll find most executives become far more engaged once they’re asked to speak the strategy, not just hear it.

Don’t expect perfection. Expect missteps. That’s your cue to deepen the dialogue and clarify nuance. That’s when leadership development—and partnership—happens.

Final Thought: Stop Being “The IT Guy”

Educating your execs isn’t about protecting your org from embarrassment (though it helps). It’s about positioning yourself as a true partner—a strategic enabler who empowers others to lead well.

So the next time your CEO blurts out something half-baked about quantum computing or AI ethics, don’t smirk. Don’t sulk. Instead, schedule a 30-minute strategy session and bring your cheat sheet.

You’ll not only raise the floor of IT fluency—you’ll raise the ceiling of your own influence.

Go ahead. Give it a try.