Management vs. Technical
I’ve often wondered if it’s easier to teach a manager technical skills or to teach a technical person how to be a manager.
In talking to people on both sides of the fence, I’ve found that opinion is usually split down the middle. As a follow up, I should have asked how many of the managers (if any) were promoted from technical positions.
A friend of mine who has been in management for years didn’t even have to think about it before saying that it’s easier to teach a manager technical skills. He believes that management skills are more important, but I tend to think that’s because a lot of managers understand things on a level that’s more roof and less foundation (if that makes any sense). But, it’s probably not that simple.
I was surprised to learn that studies show management skills trump technical skills in almost every situation. I’ve always considered management skills to be more general, while technical skills are more specific. In my experience, general skills are easier to learn and use. So why do the studies show otherwise?
Well, maybe it’s because the question itself depends on the level of involvement in technical issues that the manager is required to have. Should a manager at McDonalds know how to make a Big Mac? Probably. But the learning curve involved with making a burger is considerably less than in most other situations.
So considering that, does the need for technical skills in management decrease as the complexity of the job increases? Are those managers less involved in the technical side of operations? Maybe.
As usual, I’m all questions, and no answers. But it’s something to think about.
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