As an executive engineering leader, are you constantly firefighting, with little time to focus on strategic, long-term goals? Etienne de Bruin, the author of the popular “CTO’s Perfect Week” framework, believes there’s a better way. This incredible system, developed by de Bruin and highlighted on the 7CTOs blog, provides a powerful blueprint for CTOs to shift their focus from being hands-on coders to strategic leaders.

De Bruin’s framework is born from his own experience of being told his primary contribution was no longer writing code. This realization, though initially jarring, led him to develop a system that helps leaders break free from urgent, reactive tasks and build a sustainable, growth-oriented technology organization.

Themed Days for a Purpose-Driven Week The “CTO’s Perfect Week” proposes a simple yet effective structure where each day is dedicated to a specific theme:

• Momentum Mondays: Focus on speedy delivery and tackling technical debt.
• Teaming Tuesdays: Dedicate time to coaching your team and preparing them for future technological needs.
• Watchful Wednesdays: Identify and address weak spots within your organization’s technology stack and processes.
• Thriving Thursdays: Support sales growth and improve internal operations for non-technical teams.
• Friendship Fridays: Build relationships with the C-suite and your professional network.

This framework is a brilliant guide for any engineering leader looking to move beyond the day-to-day chaos and build a stronger, more strategic organization. This insightful plan is the creation of Etienne de Bruin, and is well worth a read.