Comment Abstraction layer (Score 2) 249
A non-technical manager can add value by serving as an abstraction layer that encapsulates non-technical stuff (such as budgeting, marketing, and political tackling) and interfaces between technical and non-technical groups. This requires leaving the technical stuff to the right people, which may lead to a technical guru as second-in-command. The biggest challenge to a non-technical manager is long-term planning! After all, how can you see ahead when you cannot fully understand the current picture? The manager of a technical unit must have technical knowledge at least on overview level of enterprise architecture...