Why I code as a CTO

I get asked this question from time to time and I generally say no, a CTO should not be for their job. There is a lot more nuance to that question though for the folks that are really in it. My more specific answer is assuming you have a technology team that is more than a dozen or so people, then no, your CTO should not be taking sprint points. Notice I didn’t say coding, I said taking sprint points. This article was a good read because the author essentially highlights that he focuses on coding tasks that are not sprint points. He's working around the periphery of the code or on other efforts entirely.

Perhaps a better way to approach this whole question is to say Should CTOs practice their craft? The answer to that is a 100% yes, and in fact isn't really optional. I can’t imagine how a CTO could drive an AI strategy without using it deeply. Your craft is critical to leading. Yes, you should do that. And if your particular craft is coding, then you should do that in some capacity that doesn't mess up your team, like taking sprint points would.