255: What Happens When You Don’t Want the CEO Job… But Take It Anyway – with Christine Spang

Are you a reluctant CEO? Telling yourself you're not CEO material?

What if the story you've been telling yourself is the only thing holding you back from stepping into a powerful new chapter?

Christine Spang never set out to become a CEO. As the co-founder and longtime CTO of Nylas, she spent over a decade in the trenches—coding, building, and deeply involved in the work on the ground. But when the time came to lead the company, she said yes... even though she didn’t think she fit the mold.

In this raw, insightful episode, Christine shares what it really looks like to evolve from hands-on engineer to strategic CEO. We explore the emotional weight of leadership, embracing your unique leadership style, and learning to lead in ambiguity. If you’ve ever felt like you’re not the “right kind” of leader, Christine’s journey will challenge and inspire you.

"You don't have to be a CEO that looks like X. The company will change around you." — Christine Spang

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How to lead when you don’t see yourself as a CEO
• The emotional shift from CTO to CEO
• Why technical expertise isn’t enough—and what to develop instead
• How introverted leaders can thrive without becoming someone they’re not
• The role of coaching and hobbies (like rock climbing!) in building resilience
• How to find clarity in the chaos of leadership
• Advice for aspiring leaders who feel like they’re “winging it”

Want to go deeper?

If this episode resonated with you, consider journaling on this: What story are you telling yourself about the kind of leader you’re not?

Then ask yourself: What if that story isn’t true anymore?

**Useful links**

• Connect with today’s guest and sponsor, Christine:
  • Follow Nylas: 
    • Web: https://www.nylas.com/
    • LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/nylas
  • Connect with Christine: 
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinespang/ 
    • X: @spang
• If you are ready to uplevel your career, get unstuck or you are simply ready to unlock those leadership time-management techniques then join us in my monthly career & leadership coaching program exclusively for women in tech: https://www.tonicollis.com/academy 
• Catch the show notes, and more details about today's episode here: https://tonicollis.com/episode255 
• Check us out on Youtube.
• Join the Leading Women in Tech community in Slack where we discuss all-the-things for women’s tech leadership, covering everything from early-career leadership to C-level executives.