CPTOs, Timeboxing and Inbox Zero

Become a better CTO/CPTO with these insights from David Gebhardt, CTO (and former CPTO) of mobile.de (Germany’s largest car vehicle marketplace).
Originally the Head of Tech, David evolved into CPTO, eventually leading the 400-strong Product+Tech teams before evolving business needs led him to bring on a CPO and go back to being ‘just’ the CTO (“only” 250 people). He shares why in this great CTO podcast.

Listen to find out:

• Why he went from CTO to CTPO and back 🤔


• Self-Efficacy as CTO ✅: How to be effective and FEEL effective


• Where innovation 💡 comes from (+ mobile.de’s Innovation Days Format)


• Why PHP isn’t all that bad (not in his current stack.. he shares what is why)
  Listen here
  BROUGHT TO YOU BY instaffo.

About David Gebhardt:

David is the CTO and member of the management team at mobile.de, the #1 German automotive marketplace, serving millions of users monthly and more than 39,000 German car dealerships.David is an impact driven leader at the interface of technology, product and business with 15+ years at IBM, Ernst & Young (EY), eBay and Adevinta, honored among the Capital 40 under 40 (2022). He is a strategic thinker with a pragmatic can-do attitude, enjoying trust-based and to-the-point interactions in cross-functional, diverse teams (ENTJ). David actively supports initiatives and organizations that foster equality and diversity in our society as well as digital education. Outside of work, David enjoys time with his family and is an ambitious endurance athlete, who finished several marathon and an Ironman.

TIMESTAMPS (approx)
(00:00 ) Intro to David and mobile.de
(05:52 ) David's Nerd Journey
(07:20 ) Impact, Community and Building Websites for Rock Bands
(09:15 ) Delphi, jQuery and PHP
(12:16 ) Tech Stack at Mobile.de
(18:29 ) The Role of CTO and CPTO
(19:18 ) Innovation and its Source
(22:29 ) Innovation Days
(24:16 ) Going from CTO to CTPO and Back
(35:47 ) Self-Efficacy as CTO
(36:09 ) Strategies for Increasing Effectiveness
(39:03 ) Why it's important to appreciate and reflect on achievements
(40:18 ) CTO Time Management with timeboxing and meeting priorities
(43:00 ) Inbox Zero and Creating Order in Communication Channels
(47:44 ) ChatGPT
(49:28 ) Home Automation: The Typical CTO Pet Project
(51:25 ) Reflections on Career and Personal Growth

Quotes:###

Inbox zero - in my definition - is not that I need to reply in five seconds. Inbox zero is my goal for the end of the day and end of the week. For me it's really: delete, archive, follow up or answer immediately. ’” - David Gebhardt, CTO of mobile.de, alphalist CTO podcast #95

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