CHAPTER 6

Defying Gravity

The Unique Journey of Technical Experts into Management Positions or Not

In Chapter 1, I used the term technical expertise broadly to describe the content-specific and knowledge-based aspect of any job. Here I’m using the concept of technical experts in two broad categories. One is where the businesses themselves are technical, such as research labs, biotech organizations, civil engineering companies, IT organizations, large pharmaceutical companies, or high-tech businesses. The second is with content-driven technical specialists, such as engineers, information technologists, scientists, doctors, accountants, or researchers. These groups of professionals appreciate that leadership requires a different skill set. Two ...

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