I had the good fortune awhile ago to interview a remarkably successful and happily retired CEO about his career in growing and running a number of teams and businesses. This gentleman, a dedicated engineer, reflected modestly on his successes and candidly about his failures in a 45-year career in manufacturing and technology organizations.
One of the many priceless discussion threads during the interview, focused on the challenges of developing leadership and individual contributor talent in technical organizations. Specifically, he railed at the "single career-track" approach that in his opinion results in many otherwise great individual contributors pursuing leadership roles for the wrong reasons regardless of their interest or capabilities for leading. There is wisdom in his perspective.
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