I should have clarified, I fully appreciate that most bosses do not actually know the technical minutia of their underlings. That is how hierarchies work...
My question was really, given this shared understanding. Why is this limited level of autonomy so common? How much longer can work that requires deep technical knowledge be directed and controlled by those who do not understand it.
In short, why are bosses not mentors. I don't mean in the general sense, I mean literally. My boss should be the person I respect, not who I answer to.
Then what term, if not "boss", do you use for someone who lacks technical skills but has the skills to decide how to manage the investments and balance profit against growth opportunities and for those reasons gives you direction and instructions?
Ehhh dont disagree with you on a theoretical level, but are the average software development manager management skills sooooooo strong that it totally overrides basic technical proficiency? definitely there are a individuals that this is true for... but most development managers naw...
Except in very rare cases where a company is staffed almost entirely by former engineers, it is almost always the case that when you go far enough up the management hierarchy you will encounter someone who is perfectly smart, but doesn't happen to know why idempotent calls are useful (or even what "idempotent" means). That is the person this chart is intended for. It may not be your immediate boss, but perhaps HER boss, or another step up the chain.
My question was really, given this shared understanding. Why is this limited level of autonomy so common? How much longer can work that requires deep technical knowledge be directed and controlled by those who do not understand it.
In short, why are bosses not mentors. I don't mean in the general sense, I mean literally. My boss should be the person I respect, not who I answer to.