The term non-technical manager is an oxymoron. An IT manager has to be technical, as you cannot manage that which you do not understand.
A person in management who is non-technical can be an executive. An executive perspective is different, focusing on a "higher" level, the big picture.
An IT Manager is like a coach on the field. He has played some of the positions and uses his expertise to improve the players, and sets the standards of each technical area. He is therefore highly technical (or was). His job is to improve his team's game, starting with individual skills, and up to calling the right plays (IT technical strategies), and getting everyone to work together as a team. Knows enough to cry BS when something is not being done right. The best background to have is an IT consultant, where you are an expert in some things and know a little bit about everything else. That, and understanding the team-building concept.
The role of an executive is like the GM up in the press box, worrying about the fiscal picture, having tea with the investors, and using politics to facilitate.
Some of the descriptions above are right on for an executive. Job skills boil down to talking pretty, knowing they don't know, and keeping out of the way of folks who do. But they serve a very useful purpose, as they can articulate mission, vision, and pave the way to getting those things done (by the IT Manager)
Another great analogy is that a newspaper's managing editor is to an IT Manager as the Editor-in-Chief is to (and is) an executive. The managing editor might have ink under his fingernails once in a while, and keeps everyone focused and the presses running. The EIC is concerned that the Whitehouse is calling and complaining about an article, and payroll costs are too high.
Every IT department needs an IT manager, but sometimes they get an IT executive instead (the so-called non-technical manager). The trouble is, they still need an IT Manager. But of course, you really need both.
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The term non-technical manager is an oxymoron. An IT manager has to be technical, as you cannot manage that which you do not understand. A person in management who is non-technical can be an executive. An executive perspective is different, focusing on a "higher" level, the big picture. An IT Manager is like a coach on the field. He has played some of the positions and uses his expertise to improve the players, and sets the standards of each technical area. He is therefore highly technical (or was). His job is to improve his team's game, starting with individual skills, and up to calling the right plays (IT technical strategies), and getting everyone to work together as a team. Knows enough to cry BS when something is not being done right. The best background to have is an IT consultant, where you are an expert in some things and know a little bit about everything else. That, and understanding the team-building concept. The role of an executive is like the GM up in the press box, worrying about the fiscal picture, having tea with the investors, and using politics to facilitate. Some of the descriptions above are right on for an executive. Job skills boil down to talking pretty, knowing they don't know, and keeping out of the way of folks who do. But they serve a very useful purpose, as they can articulate mission, vision, and pave the way to getting those things done (by the IT Manager) Another great analogy is that a newspaper's managing editor is to an IT Manager as the Editor-in-Chief is to (and is) an executive. The managing editor might have ink under his fingernails once in a while, and keeps everyone focused and the presses running. The EIC is concerned that the Whitehouse is calling and complaining about an article, and payroll costs are too high. Every IT department needs an IT manager, but sometimes they get an IT executive instead (the so-called non-technical manager). The trouble is, they still need an IT Manager. But of course, you really need both.