Show Notes
In this episode of the Leadership Language Podcast, I’m joined by Tony Qualls, Regional CIO for AdventHealth’s Great Lakes region, for a conversation about what it really takes to grow from a strong technical contributor into a trusted technology executive.
Most IT leaders who get passed over are not short on effort. They deliver, they lead, they put in the work.
The harder truth: the skills that made you the best operator are the same ones keeping you out of the executive seat. The business sees a technologist, not a leader. And no one ever explains how to change that.
That is the work I do. I help IT Directors and VPs make the jump to the executive level.
It starts with a short private diagnostic. It shows you which of the things holding you back is costing you the most, and where you stand against the leaders who already made the jump.
For the right fit, it opens into the Executive Leap Session:
A private 45-minute session, one on one with me I read your full diagnostic before we talk A straight read on where you actually stand The one or two things holding you back, specific to you The move that matters next
45 minutes with a former CIO, normally something leaders pay for. Take the diagnostic and find out where you stand.
Take the diagnostic → https://www.tingleleadership.com/
Tony shares why IT often promotes highly capable engineers, technicians, and technical experts into leadership roles without giving them the same development, coaching, and business leadership preparation that other executives receive. We talk about the shift from being seen as an IT leader to becoming a true business leader — someone who can build relationships, influence across the organization, communicate value, and develop the next generation of leaders. Tony also shares lessons from his own leadership journey, including stepping into management in 1999, learning how to lead former peers, building trust through servant leadership, and discovering the importance of business language, budgeting, and relationship-building. We also explore why human leadership skills matter even more in the AI era. As AI takes on more technical and operational work, technology leaders will need stronger communication, curiosity, emotional intelligence, influence, and executive presence.
In this conversation, we cover: Why IT keeps promoting unprepared leaders How technical experts can become business leaders Why influence matters more than authority How servant leadership builds trust Why relationships open doors for technology leaders How vulnerability creates a learning culture Why leadership development should be a standing agenda item How AI raises the value of human leadership skills Why every leader must start with their own growth The advice Tony would give his younger self: never give up If you are a technology leader, IT director, VP, CIO, CTO, or technical expert preparing for the next level, this conversation will help you rethink leadership, influence, and the human skills that make executives successful.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Vulnerability and learning as a leader 00:56 — Meet Tony Quallis 01:53 — Why IT promotes unprepared leaders 04:32 — The cost of underdeveloped technology leaders 06:09 — Tony’s first IT management role 10:51 — Learning to speak the language of business 12:39 — From command and control to influence 14:02 — Why relationships matter for IT leaders 18:40 — Tony’s leadership thoughts 21:45 — Building a culture of intentional growth 25:51 — The leadership impact you may not see for years 29:42 — Why AI makes human leadership more important 34:52 — Start with your own growth 36:49 — Making time to learn as a busy leader 39:00 — Tony’s advice to his younger self 41:07 — Leadership books Tony recommends 43:16 — Closing thoughts with Tony 44:08 — Executive Leap diagnostic and final CTA
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