Technical Managers Are EssentialReality in Software Development and Future Leadership

Introduction: Why Non-Technical Managers Are a Problem

Have you ever felt that your manager doesn't understand the technology in your software development team?

They can handle task management and scheduling, but when it comes to actual code or design, communication breaks down completely. When such managers lead projects, team motivation plummets, and both development speed and quality decline.

A manager is not just a progress tracker.

True managers can engage in technical discussions, conduct reviews, and provide accurate insights on design and infrastructure challenges the team faces.

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Chapter 1: Why Managers Should Limit Their Team to 5-10 People

📊 The Principle of Span of Control

Organizational theory includes a concept called "span of control," which indicates the limit of how many people one manager can directly oversee.

Generally, in knowledge work environments, 5 to 10 people is considered the most efficient range.

⚠️ Problems When Managing Too Many People

The reasons are clear:

• No time for technical reviews — Beyond 10 people, there's insufficient time for code reviews and design checks.
• Reduced quality of 1-on-1s — Managers lose track of each team member's growth and concerns.
• Decreased problem detection accuracy — Small technical mistakes and design flaws go unnoticed.

Eventually, they become "progress-tracking managers" who serve as messengers rather than the organization's brain.

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Chapter 2: The "Capable Manager" Model at Google and Apple

Top global companies demand high technical competence from their managers.

🌐 Google's Approach

Google has a culture that clearly separates "Tech Lead (technical leader)" from "Manager (people manager)."

However, in small teams, there's a role called TLM (Tech Lead Manager) that combines both. TLMs participate in code reviews and make final decisions in design discussions—they are "hands-on managers."

💡 Lessons from Project Oxygen

Google analyzed success factors of its internal managers and concluded that "having technical knowledge" is a common trait of excellent managers.

In other words, managers without technical knowledge struggle to achieve results—this fact was proven with data.

🍎 Apple's Approach

At Apple, most managers are former engineers.

In product and design discussions, even executives debate at the code and UX level. A culture of understanding technology supports the high quality of their final products.

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Chapter 3: The Tragedy Caused by Non-Technical Managers

Managers who don't understand technology cause the following problems:

❌ Common Problem Patterns

• Misguided instructions — They demand technically impossible tasks, confusing the team.
• Inefficient meetings — They repeatedly ask basic questions like "What does that mean?" and drag down discussions.
• Disconnect from the team — Engineers feel "it's useless to explain" and stop sharing information.
• Blame games — Without understanding the root cause, they engage in finger-pointing.

In such organizations, talented engineers leave, and projects become hollow.

In the worst cases, development speed is cut in half, and technical debt accumulates.

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Chapter 4: The Balance Argument — Technical Skills Alone Don't Make a Manager

Of course, this doesn't mean "technical skills are all you need."

To lead people, listening skills, empathy, and decision-making abilities are essential. Google's research also highlights "supporting team members" and "interest in career growth" as top managerial traits.

⚖️ Balance Is Key

What's important is the balance of "understanding technology while being able to lead people."

• It's dangerous for someone with zero technical knowledge to be a manager.
• However, being overly technical-focused without people skills is equally risky.

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Chapter 5: Managers in the AI Era Must Master "Technology + Tools"

With AI's evolution, the role of managers is changing. AI agents can now assist with reviews and issue management.

🤖 Examples of AI Utilization

• AI Code Review — Automatically analyzes Pull Requests and suggests risky areas and improvements.
• Document Summarization AI — Organizes lengthy specifications and design discussions in seconds.
• Automatic Dependency Visualization — Instantly analyzes which changes affect which modules.

By effectively using these tools, managers can spend more time on deeper discussions and decision-making.

⚠️ Conversely, managers who can't even use AI will be left behind.

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Chapter 6: The Ideal Manager of the Future

Future managers need the following three qualities:

✅ Three Essential Skills

1. Understanding the Field — Possess basic knowledge of code and design.
2. Technical Judgment — Have insights like "This needs refactoring" or "This architecture lacks scalability."
3. AI and Automation Proficiency — Actively adopt tools that complement human limitations.

In other words, "a manager should be someone who elevates the team's technical intelligence."

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Conclusion: Half-Hearted Managers Are the Enemy of the Team

Managers who just stare at progress charts and say "keep trying" are no longer needed.

They don't move projects forward—they stagnate them.

In the future, even as AI and automation advance, we'll still need leaders who make decisions and determine team direction. However, those leaders must understand technology, master AI, and unite the team with trust.

As Google has shown, "capable managers understand technology."

This simple truth is, now and always, the only reality that saves teams.