Mike Brenner makes an exellent point here.

On Tue, 10 Feb 1998, Mike Brenner wrote:

> I would like to add that (since some of these are opposites),
> that not every programmer need have every attribute. Nor would it
> be desireable for every programmer to have all these attributes.

  One reason some project managers are more successful than others
  is their ability to assign people according to their individual
  strengths and move them to new assignments quickly when it becomes
  appropriate.  Some software practitioners are better at programming
  down at the bit-level, others have better skills at abstraction,
  and lots of others are somewhere in between.

  This field of endeavor is large enough in its range of skill
  requirements that we can accomodate a wide variety of aptitudes
  and inclinations.

  Unfortunately, many managers are absent the skills they need to
  effectively utilize the skills of those people on their team.
  Sometimes I get the feeling I would rather have a good basketball
  coach to manage a large project than an experienced programmer.

  Richard Riehle
  www.adaworks.com